Code:Beginning
by the mythologist
Summary: When an ancient terror threatens to rise in modern day Japan, the Code:Breakers must learn the truths Eden obscured. Yet the tale of their predecessors is not enough - especially when they realize that Pandora's Box may not be completely closed after all... Rated M for language, violence, graphic imagery and potential suggestive themes. (Picture by markotna on zerochan)
1. Coming Home

**CODE:BEGINNING**

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"**Before Eden and December 32nd, even before the rise of the 4 Founders, there was the Kingdom, and all power users in Japan fell under its rule…" **

**When an ancient terror threatens to rise in modern day Japan, the Code:Breakers must learn the truths Eden obscured. Yet the tale of their predecessors is not enough - especially when they realize that Pandora's Box may not be completely closed after all...**

**Rated M for language, violence, graphic imagery and potential suggestive themes. Sa/Og, Ru/Ko, Yu/He, OC/OC, among others that are as of right now...a surprise. Disclaimer: I do not own Code:Breaker.  
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**Chapter 1- Coming Home:**

**In which the stage is set.**

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**2018**

It had been six long years, but Kouji was finally ready to return home. His quest to bring back the power users expelled during the war against Eden was at an end, and more than fulfilled - those he had sought brought back friends and family of their own, and powers and practices that would fortify their future. With them in place, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to follow in Prime Minister Fujiwara's footsteps.

Kouji scanned the coastline of northern Scotland with clouded eyes, seeing more clearly into the past than the present. He had sent along the new power users ahead of him, after conferring with Heike and Yukihina who were settling some unfinished business of their own. Although they would not be personally in Japan to welcome the newcomers, they assured him Sakurako, Zed, and Shibuya would be.

He smiled grimly to himself as high winds buffeted his body. With his mission completed, there was nothing to keep him from returning to Japan, and checking in on the four remaining Code:Breakers. He was looking forward to measuring the progress Yuuki, Toki, and Rei had made, and the thought of seeing Rui again-

The world around him went utterly still, and Kouji felt the loss of wind against his body like most would notice the lack of air in their lungs. He was enveloped by a sense of immense emptiness, and when he attempted to shape air between his fingers he could not. His forearms trembled from the exertion, yet his power was locked away as cleanly as if he were undergoing one of Shibuya's tests - yet there was no rare kind here, and the sensation was too overwhelming to be _human…_

With a cry, Kouji shot out his arms, propelling wind along his arms in a tight spiral. The force generated was sudden and strong, and finally enough to break through the incursion. As he did so the suffocating sensation ended, as suddenly as if it had never existed. When the wind was his to command again, Kouji took a deep breath and focused on the surrounding area, looking for any anomalies, even to the slightest inhale.

There was nothing. He was alone on the cliff, and he was not surprised. Dread settled over his body, and with it, remembrance. It had been over a century, but he had experienced this sensation before, when he had faced inexplicable terrors- demons and dragons chief among them. He had not forgotten the primal fear of facing them; fundamentally different as they were from mortal men. Yet they had been exterminated during the years following the Great War, and the few that had survived the initial purge were undone by the modernization of the world.

...all save one: the only one powerful enough to withstand even the strongest power users' attempts at subduing it. Yet Asura slept throughout eternity, bound by the sacrifice of the warriors who had been mad enough to fight it. Kouji shook his flyaway hair from his eyes. This was not the time to fear the impossible. If the dragon had woken, he would know. _Everyone _would know.

What, then, could rob his lungs of air, and quicken the blood in his veins?

Kouji did not know. He sure as hell was going to find out, however.

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Halfway around the world, Sakurakouji Sakura frowned, deep in thought. In both hands lay an avocado, and she squeezed with the care of a surgeon. Which was more ripe? Judging by color alone was not good enough, as she had learned. She deliberated with great care, finally deciding on the one in her left hand when she was jostled into from behind.

"Oh! I'm _so_ sorry, I didn't _see_ you there-"

In her surprise, Sakura clenched her fingers into fists, inadvertently crushing the fruit down to the seed. Green pulp dripped from her fingers, and passersby stared in wonder. Both avocados had been bright green, and nowhere near ripe. How could such a delicate young lady possess such strength in her grip?

Annoyed, Sakura plastered on a polite smile as she faced the woman who had ended all plans of eel and avocado sushi tonight. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was. "Prince-dono?!"

Hachiouji Rui smirked. "The one and only. My, but what a _surprise_ seeing you here, Sakura!" She glanced to the side, a hand placed theatrically over her heart. "It must be fate. Oh! And it looks as if I've wrecked your shopping trip - well, I really _must _make it up to you. Let's go get lunch, shall we?" She leaned in close, finishing in an undertone, "Not even Rei can begrudge us _that_ much. Especially as we met _totally by accident._" She winked and straightened, long strands of hair slipping over her shoulder. "Well, what do you say?"

Although the mention of Ogami made her heart clench in her chest, Sakura nodded firmly, dropping her shopping basket and flicking the avocado from her fingers. She would just have to come back later to buy Puppy's food. Ignoring the incredulous stares from the other shoppers, they made their way to the exit.

...

Twenty minutes and one vigorous handwashing later, the ladies found themselves deep in conversation as they awaited the arrival of their meals. There was plenty to discuss, and even more to only vaguely hint at - since Sakura's "exile" from the power user's world six years ago, they had only managed to meet up a few times, always under some flimsy excuse. Rui kept the conversation from heading anywhere confidential, choosing to discuss their mutual friends instead.

"Toki's doing well, although I'm sure that's not a surprise. He's gotten a bit lazy- between Nenene and a new girlfriend every week he's let his training go. But we'll kick him into shape when he gets back. Oh! And Nenene is doing well, also. Have you heard from her since she began studying in the United States?"

Sakura smiled fondly as she nodded. Fujiwara Nenene was one of the few people from her past she was allowed - even encouraged - to communicate with. Her powers would never return, and as such it was deemed acceptable for even the rare kind exile to keep in contact with her. The rest were _supposed_ to be barred from her, but they had all found their own ways around that - Toki would send her playful texts and pictures, always from a different number; Rui would bump into her in grocery stores hours away from her district; Heike would mail her expensive teas and questionable literature; Yuuki would simply show up on her doorstep, announcing that he was hopelessly lost, and could he possibly stay the night…?

Only Ogami had not made contact with her in the six years they had been separated. Yet even he had kept a close watch over her - her belief in him and her frighteningly accurate sense of smell had assured her of that.

Rui stirred her tea, wondering if she could get away with pouring a generous amount of whiskey into it. _Everything_ tasted better with whiskey. "Toki will be glad to hear that. Now let me see...Yuuki's just as rambunctious as ever, and just as irresponsible. He disappeared for a whole week a few months ago, and would only come back when Rei threatened to burn his favorite Nyanmaru doll." Rui ignored Sakura's shifty glance. So _that_ was where he had gone. "Hmm...Heike and Yukihina are in the States at the moment, and hopefully won't destroy anything irreplaceable when they spar. Who else...ah! Aoba-chan and Uesugi-kun are currently stationed in Africa, and have apparently become quite adept at uh, taking care of each other."

Sakura took a long drink of tea to hide her smile. Rui tried so hard to be blase and unaffected, yet her face was still tinged with a blush. They had all grown up so much over their time apart, yet Rui still tended towards bashful. "That is good to hear. Uesugi-kun will keep Aoba's head firmly on her shoulders, I think." She gave a small smile to their server, who had just approached with their meal. "Thank you. How about yourself, Prince? I see you've grown your hair long…"

Rui's answering smile was small yet genuine. "I...yes, I have. I'm doing well. Busy, certainly. Those boys all need protection, after all!"

Sakura's eyes flicked between Rui's eyes to her hair. "And are you still waiting?" _For Kouji_, was the unvoiced continuation. Sakura knew Rui had asked him if she could, a long time ago. Yet he had not given her a proper answer, and his ambiguity had allowed her only to hope. Once, Sakura would have found such a response unfair. Now she yearned for even that little.

Rui's color deepened, and she ducked her head, attempting to hide her expression behind her hair. When her response finally came, it was in a subdued voice. "Yes."

Sakura didn't respond. She stretched her hands out across the table, confidently taking Rui's within her own. Even so, she prepared herself to be headbutted. When Rui did nothing but squeeze her fingers gently, Sakura decided to take the pressure off of her friend with some news of her own.

"Speaking of waiting, I finally heard back from the graduate law program at the University of Tokyo - I will officially be a student next semester. My essay on the corruption inherent in political systems went over surprisingly well.." Sakura smiled brightly, hoping the change in topic would dislodge her friend from her sorrow. "Just you wait, Prince-dono! In just a few more years, I'll be a lawyer, and you better believe I'll change the world. The Code:Breakers won't be half-citizens any longer - they'll soon be full-fledged members of society!" She winked sassily at her friend, a new addition to the standard Sakurakouji repertoire. Rui couldn't help but smile fondly. Sakura had proven her mettle over the last few years, never complaining, never faltering in the face of Ogami's decision. She had also never forgotten her friends, or their shared resolve to not only save the world - but to save _them._

The girls dined for over an hour, eating as slowly as possible, and talking as much as they could. It could be months or even years before they came together again, and each wanted to make the most of each other's company. There was _one_ topic that neither touched upon, however. Rui would not bring up Rei unless Sakura asked, and that was something she had not done for the entirety of their separation. Even Toki, with all his easy charm, couldn't get her to utter one syllable on the subject of the man she had loved and lost not once, but twice.

Did she know how carefully Rei watched her? How he devoted every moment of his spare time in making sure she was safe? Rui wanted both their happiness more than anything, but the way things stood she saw no way of making it happen. While she and the others could flout the rules - Yuuki the most brazenly, of course - Rei would never go back on his word, even if they could ensure her place in society. He had left her for many reasons, and it was the painful truth that their feelings for each other were simply not strong enough to gainsay them.

It appeared that some things, no matter how beautiful, were not meant to be.

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...

Even more than a good fuck or a hard fight, Toki wanted a cigarette. He had given up smoking after his father died, yet right now he would have given up his left lung for one measly cancer stick. He hadn't realized addiction could be this awful. Yet neither had he counted on being partnered with Yuuki for the last three months on a dead-end mission that resembled a wild fox hunt more and more each day.

"Come on, Fourth. I'm pretty sure she went this way."

Toki scowled at his partner, but the rambunctious redhead was already charging off down the alley. He wasn't moving too quickly that Toki couldn't catch him, however, and Toki decided his griping would have to wait. The cloaked figure they were currently chasing was the closest thing they'd had to a lead for over a week, and he was _not_ losing it over a goddamn imaginary cigarette.

He took off after Yuuki. Yet by the time he finally hit his stride his partner had suddenly stopped, and he slammed painfully into him. "Ow! Son of a- why the fuck did you stop, Yuuki?"

"Because she did."

Swearing once more, Toki sidestepped his friend, who had shot up 12 centimeters the year he turned 17. When his view was no longer obstructed by Yuuki's surprisingly burly shoulder, he could see what he'd been talking about. Standing only a few yards away from them was the figure they had been chasing - yet their hood was still firmly fastened under their chin, hiding both identity and gender. Toki was just going to have to take Yuuki's word that she was female, and to work his magic.

He stepped forward with his palms open, hoping to nudge this encounter into the realm of calm and friendly chats. "Now, now. No need for all this running around, miss. We just have a few questions; no need to get violent-" Toki cut off abruptly as the figure pushed their hood back, revealing that it was, in fact, a woman. A woman who - save for the shoulder-length hair - looked startlingly like Toki's father.

Screw calm and friendly. Toki had to bite his tongue to keep from making things dangerous. "You- _who are you_?" He tried to take another step towards her, but Yuuki held him back.

"Keep calm, Fourth. Just because she looks like him doesn't mean she _is_ him."

Toki took a deep breath, trying to identify with Yuuki's childlike logic. He then fixed the mysterious woman with a pointed look. "Well? Mind dropping a name, here?"

Her face hardened into an expression he had been intimately acquainted with since childhood. "My name would mean nothing to you, and is therefore unimportant. My message is what brings me here: you need to return to Japan. Both of you. Before the sleeping beast wakes, else Japan will be destroyed."

"Is that a threat?" Yuuki shed his absentminded demeanor, eyes suddenly sharp.

The woman shook her head. "No. It is a warning. It is far beyond my power to manipulate such a thing. All I can do is prepare those who can."

Her eyes slid to Toki, who said nothing but stared at her thoughtfully. "It would help if we could trust the deliverer of such news. Seeing as how you look too damn much like my dearly deceased father, I'm not sure how inclined I am to believe you." Toki shook off Yuuki's arm, and folded his own. "Forgive us for being cynical, but the old man was kind of a dick."

Her eyes narrowed in response. "Only the fact that you killed him forgives you - I have far more reason to hate the man than you know. Besides, do you think you are the only one alive who shares his blood? Foolish boy - your father lived for more than a century. Did you think you were his only family?" She shook her head sharply. "Enough of this. I have wasted enough time. Either heed my warning, or do not - and your own death be upon your heads." She thrust her arms outwards, causing the cloak to billow in their wake. From her hands issued forth a smoke that cut across their lungs and eyes. There was a harsh glitter that burned against the backs of their eyelids, rendering them momentarily immobile.

"_If you seek to fight, approach the rare kind. He will know what must be done."_ Her parting instruction echoed in their ears, yet when they opened their eyes she was gone. Yuuki cupped his ears, straining for the slightest hint of her direction. Yet after a moment he straightened, and shook his head.

"Nothing. Sorry, Fourth."

Toki wasn't surprised. They had been chasing this woman down for three godforsaken months, and to be left with only this cryptic message? Worse yet, a message that led them to that shitty cat? He swallowed an aggravated sigh, and thought seriously about breaking down and smoking a whole fucking pack of cigarettes. It was the only thing that might make prolonged exposure to Shibuya bearable. "Thought so. C'mon, Yuuki. Let's pack it in. We gotta' catch a flight back to Japan tonight."

"So you believe her?"

Toki shrugged as he pulled his cell phone out of a deep coat pocket. "Not a hell of a lot of choice, is there? Besides, we can get out of this dump and eat some good food again. I swear these people only eat potatoes drenched in gravy."

Yuuki nodded. "And then we get to see Nisemaru!"

Toki sighed. "And then we get to see Nisemaru…"

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_He is standing at the edge of an abyss, and leaping up from the darkness are spiral of flesh and fire. Behind him are the demons, or the souls of those he has killed. The weak are those for whom there is no difference. The strong are those who were innocent._

_The air around him crackles with a frenetic energy, shot through with electric threads in shades of blue and green. The ground crumbles at his feet. He knows, dimly, that if he were to fall into the darkness below and impale himself on the coils that snake around him that all would be over. It is not a frightening prospect: he faces this very possibility every moment he is awake._

_There is a wooden cross on his back, heavy yet deceptively small. It causes him to tilt forward, knees buckling under the weight. Sometimes he entertains bittersweet fantasies of toppling headfirst into the abyss. It would be so easy - to exhale, and let his knees fail him. He would fall slowly and silently, until the flames below rushed upwards towards him and all his sins; all the warring facets of his personality would be erased._

_It is a pretty thought indeed, to dream of his own demise. Yet such weakness is easily overcome. It lasts as long as he does not think of _her_, and those moments are few and far between. If only he dreamt of her as well-_

Rei startles awake, eyes snapping open in the darkness. The images of his dream faded quickly from his mind, leaving him only with the memory of smoke and flame, and the feeling that underneath it all had been a sound akin to the beating of mighty wings. Yet his first thoughts upon waking were, as always, of _her._

Let every day be a struggle. Then they would always be connected.

He rolled over, careful not to bang his head on the bars below his bed. He had not completely reverted to his pre-Eden mindset; since moving out of Shibuya's mansion he slept on inch high pad below a western style bed. It was no longer for his perceived safety - it was simply harder to wake and wonder if he were still in the mansion, with _her _right next door, and if he tilted his head he could see the hole between their walls he never could bring himself to fix-

_Enough._

Rei picked up his mobile, allowing himself to lie prone long enough to check his messages. He didn't expect any; he had unearthed and destroyed a ring of slavers just two days ago, and had nearly entered his lost form because of it. He assumed they would allow him at least one more day to rest. That would be ideal - he could spend a little time shadowing _her_. Maybe he could even determine whether or not she'd heard from the law school she had applied to.

_Message from: Master of the Universe_

Rei felt a headache coming on. First of all, that was the last time he let Shibuya anywhere near his phone. Changing his contact information was infantile and stupid, as he would immediately change it back to something unflattering. Secondly, the fact that his old teacher was contacting him at all was exhausting. They met occasionally, and trained slightly more so. Still, Rei simply was not in the mood. Especially if it cut into his Sakurakouji-watching time.

_We have a rather large problem. Meeting tomorrow. Mansion, 5pm. Do not contact anyone. _

And then, exactly as soon as Rei finished reading the first message-

_And stop stalking my daughter, you pervert!_

Rei ground his teeth. Large problem? It had better not be a hole in the roof Shibuya expected him to fix. And he wasn't stalking her, he was just _observing_, as was perfectly normal. Stupid Shibuya. Stupid middle-aged men who masqueraded as high school student council presidents; who wore stupid cat costumes that didn't even look like a frigging cat; who could still kick his ass five times out of ten and who had fathered the only thing that could possibly make Rei cave.

Rei rolled back over and shut his eyes firmly. He was not looking forward to tomorrow. He was looking forward to tomorrow _at all._

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_..._

**I realize avocado are maybe not the most Japanese ingredient I could have thought of for Sakura's sushi. Yet it is delicious so let's all eat it anyway.**

**Sakura and Rei not being meant for each other is the biggest lie I can currently tell. Seriously. Rui stop thinking that way. **

**To business: some things may not be canon, but I have done my best, working off the raws and rough translations of the last 5 chapters. (If interested, go to forums at mangafox. It will give you the general idea). **

** Upon reading the end of the series I was left with many questions. Who the hell is Kouji, and where was his backstory? How did Yukihina's lost form change from snow...to gender swap? Why on earth did they think exiling Sakura from all the Code:Breakers (and her rare kind father - who is the only source of rare kind serum) was a good idea? And just what was Heike's lost form? (I wanted to know the ENTIRE TIME).**

** So I thought about it. And this came out. This is a story about the past- even before December 32nd, and the rise of the 4 Founders. It's a story about Kouji, Shibuya, Fujiwara, Sakurako, Zed, and Code:Emperor, as well as a few characters I will make up (largely to kill off). In the end, it will also be a story about Sakura and Ogami, because I cannot help it. **

** It could be considered a bit O.O.C., especially in the language used in the past. It can be considered proper universe if you assume (as I have) that the main players 100+ years ago will undergo somewhat drastic changes as they age, to reflect not only their own experiences, but also the times. **

** I hope you enjoy it :)**


	2. Reunions

**I do not own Code:Breaker**

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**Chapter 2- Reunions: **

**In which the players assemble.**

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**2018**

Shibuya was nervous. Throughout his long life he had faced not only wayward students and the might of Eden, but creatures of strength and malice no longer seen in today's world. Not only faced - he had survived and _conquered._ His blood coursed with a power so unique his kind were contained and ostracized, and he had risen above such treatment again and again. He had married the most terrifying woman of the last century, and trained some of the strongest people the world had ever known. Yet it was currently 4:47 PM; the meeting would commence in minutes, and he was twisting his sweater into knots.

_What if they no longer like meeeeeeeee?_

Life was so much easier when he could hide behind the nyanmaru mask…

Rui arrived first, as he had guessed. She brought with her several loaded bags of snacks and ingredients for supper, and flushed only slightly when she declared her intention to make dinner for everyone at meeting's end. Shibuya nodded thoughtfully, not telling her the 'meeting' was not likely to end quickly. Oh well. They all would have to eat _sometime._

Toki and Yuuki arrived next, jet-lagged and obviously mulling something over. Why, Toki didn't even realize he wasn't wearing his costume! Yuuki was in slightly better spirits, and it only improved when he located one of his extra nyanmaru heads and promptly stuck it on his own. It was this that Toki finally noticed, when he scolded his friend and his eyes traveled over to Shibuya, who was currently wearing his smartest cap and biggest grin.

Toki's shocked expressions were always a pleasure, Shibuya decided. He was simply too goofy-looking when surprised, and he lost all resemblance to his father.

Rei arrived last, with none of the excitement or fanfare of the others. He snuck in when Yuuki and Rui were cavorting in the kitchen, with Toki laughing at the pair of them. Like Rui, he was unsurprised to see Shibuya's face, merely grimacing before returning the older man's nod. He would have moved past him without any further ado had Shibuya not muttered something that sounded suspiciously like _daughter stalker_ to him when he came close.

A short yet furious scuffle ensued, and by the time Toki looked back and realized that Ogami had arrived, katanas had already been drawn. It took several headbutts and admonishments from Rui before everyone calmed down, and the meeting could begin.

When they were all seated on the couch, Rui took charge. "All right, Shibuya. You've brought us all here. What's so important?" She held up a hand, prepared to be aggravated. "And _don't_ tell me it's just because you missed us. Otherwise I'll give Rei his katana back."

Rei smirked, but Yuuki snuck a guarded glance over at Toki, who was currently staring down at the coffee table. Rui noticed none of this, however, and kept her gaze on the rare kind.

Shibuya sighed dramatically. "Ahh, Prince. Still as blunt as ever, I see. I suppose that means you haven't noticed anything...odd in the last couple of days?" She shook her head without hesitation, and Rei, who had finally noticed the cloud on Toki and Yuuki's face, spoke up.

"I haven't either, to be honest. _Has_ something happened? Or is this just a ploy to fix your decrepit home?"

A vein in Shibuya's forehead twitched, yet was hidden by the hat. Sometimes, he wondered at the nerve of brats, nowadays. He also wondered why on earth his daughter liked this one so much. "Well, then. That explains that. Although I suppose it shouldn't be so unexpected…" His voice dropped to a murmur that only Yuuki could hear. "_Powerful as you all are, I suppose it can't target what it doesn't know_…" Yet before Yuuki could say anything, Shibuya brightened, bringing a fist to his palm. "No matter! We'll just have to start from the beginning. We should have plenty of time, anyway. An entire week at least!" He looked over his shoulder, pausing only to glance at Rui. "You can come in now-! These ungrateful children don't listen to me, anyway." He turned back to the Code:Breakers on the couch and smirked. "So I'll let _them_ talk instead."

Kouji walked in from the kitchen, all flyaway hair and crooked smiles, and he lifted a hand in greeting. If his eyes sought out Rui's first before smoothly sliding to Toki's, no one else noticed- they were far too focused on the smaller figure behind him, who, when they stepped from behind him, threw the living room into tumult.

"You!"

"Mystery Ladymaru!"

It was at the same moment that Rui found her own voice, temporarily lost from the shock of seeing Kouji again. "K-Kouji! You're here?"

Even Rei had something to say. "Ahh, you're back. Was your mission successful?"

Shibuya swallowed a grin at the high tension. Rui was stuck between joy and embarrassment, and her face was turning that familiar, peculiar shade of magenta. Yuuki and Toki were far more straightforward - they watched the newcomer carefully, expressions of distrust and disapproval, respectively. Only Rei seemed unaffected, but that didn't surprise Shibuya. The only thing that could surprise him was halfway across town.

But now that they all were here-

"Kouji, Maka." He stood and sketched a small bow. "Welcome to my illustrious abode. Now, now, Kouji, don't smirk at me like that. I'm merely being polite for our guest." He gestured to Maka, and she bobbed in return. "It's been many years, my friend. It's a pleasure to welcome you back to Japan."

"So you _do_ know her." Toki's gaze moved from Shibuya to the woman who could have been his father's twin. "You could have just _said_ that instead of being all cryptic."

Maka said nothing, merely flicked her eyes dismissively to Shibuya. "Thank you for having us. I hope we shall not overstay our welcome."

At her side, Kouji snorted. "Polite as always, even after all these years." He glanced over at Toki and grinned at his disgruntled expression. "Just wait until Karin gets here. She'll thaw out soon enough."

"Where _is_ Karin? I assumed she'd be with you?" Shibuya made a show of looking around Kouji, into the kitchen. "Don't tell me she chose not to come? She's the only way of gauging how much time we have left."

Maka frowned and responded for Kouji. "Of course she's here. She simply…" She trailed off, grimacing.

Kouji picked up the slack. "She stopped to 'look at something interesting.' Apparently _something_ warranted a closer look." He shrugged and made his way over to the couch, nonchalantly leaning on the arm closest to Rui. He spared a small smile at his beautiful comrade before finishing. "She'll wander in when the time is right. We should probably explain a thing or two before she gets here, anyway. Otherwise the young ones will get too antsy to listen."

He leaned back, pulling his flask from his pocket and twisting the cap off, one handed. Next to him, Rui sat still as a statue, barely breathing in her attempt to sense every particle of his being. Such was her fixation on him and attempting to remain calm that she didn't notice the way he kept glancing down at her under his lowered eyelashes.

Shibuya clapped his hands suddenly, bringing everyone's attention back towards him. Rui and Kouji were suspiciously close to flirting, and Toki still looked as if he'd rather vault the coffee table and throttle Maka. It was time to explain, whether or not the final player had arrived. "Well then! Shall we begin? I suppose it can't hurt to explain a little before she gets here...the story is long enough as it is. Now then, where to start…"

Toki leaned forward onto his forearms, framing his handsome face between his hands. "Why don't you start with the 'sleeping beast'? You know, the one that apparently is gonna' wreak havoc on Japan?"

Shibuya's head tilted to the left. "Ahh, so you already know? As expected from Toki-kun, master strategist!" He winked broadly and it was this that tipped Ogami over the edge.

"Look, is this actually a serious matter? If not, I would like to leave. Charming as this reunion is, I don't want to waste my time here."

Yuuki pouted childishly, his cheeks blowing out like balloons. It was slightly disconcerting expression for his masculine face. "Awww, c'mon Sixth! Stay and play for a bit. You're so boring, these days."

To his right, Toki groaned. "Again with the number nicknames? I thought we were past that!"

Yuuki shrugged. "It's nostalgic." Then, he turned to wink at Rui. "And it's cute."

Ogami's head fell into his hands as the his three companions began to bicker. He was just about to stand and leave when a new voice broke through the rabble - feminine, speaking politely with an odd accent that he couldn't quite place…

"Oh, look. Everyone is here already! And they all look so surprised. See, Sakura-san? I told you this was a good idea!"

Ogami's head shot up and without sparing a glance for the speaker, his eyes locked onto the woman he had held himself away from for the last six years. For a just a moment all his dedication drained away and all he could see was _her_, standing barely five feet away from him. It was impossible to mask his expression, and even more so to care about the guarded looks Toki and Rui were throwing at him. All that was important was that Sakurakouji-san was looking back at him.

_Finally._

"Nyanmaru!" Yuuki launched himself off the couch, throwing himself into Sakura's arms. She stumbled but caught herself, letting go of the newcomer's hand in the process. Yuuki nuzzled his head against her neck, exactly as he would in his lost form. Softly he began to sing Nyanmaru's theme song, and even from the couch Rei could hear the whispered refrain - _friend of all kitties…_

He scowled. So much for letting Sakurakouji-san live a normal life, protected from the pain and loneliness of being a power user. The same for team solidarity - since when had Yuuki decided it was acceptable to flirt with Sakur- _girls_?

Thankfully, Rei wasn't the only one with Sakura's welfare in mind. Yuuki found himself abruptly torn away from his friend, a glowering Shibuya the culprit. "Watch where you're touching my daughter, catboy." He flicked him in the direction of the couch, and Yuuki spun until he tripped over the coffee table, landing face first onto the couch. Shibuya didn't notice. Instead, he blew his daughter a kiss, which Sakura caught with a comically serious expression on her face.

Rei frowned. He supposed by now it was clear that Shibuya was Sakurakouji-san's father, but to announce it so openly? More so, they had progressed to the point of blowing kisses? There was something peculiar going on here...

Shibuya moved to the taller woman at her side, slinging an arm carelessly around her shoulders. "Now that all the players are assembled, let me introduce Shihoin Karin, who will not only be taking on part of your training, but will also help explain what, exactly, you are all training for."

Rei finally tore his eyes away from Sakura to glance over at the woman who had arrived with her. She was tall as a man, but that wasn't too unexpected - she wasn't completely Japanese. With her tangled copper curls and slanted black eyes, she was a disconcerting mix, even for half-castes.

She bowed with an ease not often seen in foreigners. When she rose, she smiled widely at Kouji, and he snorted in return. "Hello, everyone. I am sorry to keep you waiting. I could not resist when I met a young lady with Sakurako's face, and Take- I mean, Shibuya's blood." She nodded to Sakura, who returned the favor with the same solemnity she had treated her father. "Now. What do they know? Do they know of the dragon? Could any of them feel it?"

Toki scoffed. "Excuse me? Dragon? Now I _know_ you're all shitting us. The dragons were exterminated in the Great War, before Eden was established." He leaned back against the couch, casually crossing one leg over the other as he did so. "Dragons no longer exist."

Karin stared at him thoughtfully, and a strange progression of emotions flashed across her face. Chief among them was not hatred, as was the case with Maka, but something far more complicated. "You...you are Fujiwara's son, are you not?"

The ease in Toki's demeanor slipped away, leaving the cold rage he had clung to when they had faced the man in question. "Believe me, sweetheart, I don't like it anymore than _she_ does." He tilted his chin at Maka, who had stepped closely behind Karin. "But yeah, that's me. Fujiwara Toki, son of the great bastard himself. But that has nothing to do with dead dragons."

Kouji spoke from his perch on the couch. "So you know a little about the war, huh? Then tell me the name of the King of Dragons, the one 1000 men died to subdue."

Toki shot him a questioning glance out of the corner of his eye. "I don't know _that_ much. Just that they were all killed. Heike used to read us bedtime stories about it."

"_Heike? _Not Heike Masaomi?" That brought Karin's eyes away from Toki, where they had been resting with a guarded, thoughtful expression. She turned to Shibuya, her expression serious. "Is he here?"

Shibuya shook his head. "No. He and Yukihina are in the States, and won't come back unless absolutely needed. They have issues of their own over there."

"I see. Well then." She glanced around the room, eyes lingering uncomfortably long on Ogami's face. She looked between him and Sakura, and then shook her head. "With all respect, Heike was wrong. There was one dragon too powerful to kill, we had to settle for binding it in slumber. Yet lately it has become restless, and I fear soon will wake." She tapped the skin beneath her left eye. "I can already feel it going."

Rei finally found his voice, although he kept one eye on Sakura who stood next to her father, steadfastly refusing to look in his direction. "Feel what going? How can you tell it will wake? Who even _are_ you?"

She snapped to attention in a mockery of a soldier's salute. "Ahh! Forgive me, introductions are indeed in order. Shihoin Karin, youngest child of Shihoin Tokitou, and first-cousin to the fine young man drinking whiskey on the couch. Previously appointed liason to the king's Imperial Army, and, according to Eden's archives, officially deceased. Special ability: well, you'll know soon enough. And as for how I know that Asura will soon rise…" She dropped all pretense of humor, her voice growing harsh like iron on stone, "...it is because I am the one who, in the end, sealed it. I am connected to it, even now. Soon, it will wake...and things will not be pleasant."

A moment of silence descended upon the group. It was Rui who finally broke it, although what she chose to address was auxillary at best. She pointed at Kouji, yet addressed Karin: "You guys are cousins?" Karin nodded cautiously.

"_Huh_."

Toki glared at her. "Well now that _that_ priceless piece of intelligence is out of the way, let's go back to the goddamn dragon." He shifted his glare onto Karin, who had begun to smile at Rui. "How big and bad are we talking, here? Worse than Kagerou? Pandora's Box? _Ogami?"_

"_Hey."_

"I'm just saying. You can be pretty terrifying. Especially in the morning."

Kouji headed off that squabble. "By itself, the dragon should not pose such a threat. Back then, there were only a few power users capable of engaging it - and we were nowhere near your level of mastery. The problem is _why_ it has risen. And what else will come with it."

"Oh god. _More_ dragons? It's official: worst day ever."

Yuuki elbowed him in the side. "Shut up, Fourth."

Kouji continued as if the men sitting on the couch below him did not exist. "How much time do we have? Can you tell?"

His cousin shrugged one shoulder, before glancing at Shibuya. "Maybe three weeks? Four? Asura first began to stir about a year ago, around the time of your pandora's box debacle. Yet then it quieted. This time is different. Something has set the dragon off, and unless we figure out what it is, worse may come."

"And unless we explain to the new generation what happened _then_, I doubt we'll find that answer before the dragon wakes." Shibuya turned to the Code:Breakers, before looking down fondly at his daughter. "Telling the story isn't enough, however. We'd much rather show you. That's where Maka comes in."

"Show us?" Sakura spoke for the first time since entering the room, and Rei's eyes swung to her automatically. He had to bite his tongue in order to look away. "What do you mean?"

Karin looked over at the tiny woman at her side. "Maka...didn't you introduce yourself?" She tsked at her companion's reluctant refusal. "Don't be rude. Show them what you can do!"

"They'll understand soon enough. Just tell them what they're about to see. It's going to take long enough as it is."

"Fair enough." Shibuya cut them off. "Is everyone comfortable?" He lead his daughter over to the love seat, where he pulled her down after him. After a pointed glance, Karin grinned and leaned against the wall, preparing herself for the tale. Only Maka remained upright and she positioned herself in the middle of the room, closing her eyes and concentrating fiercely.

Karin begun the tale. "While Maka prepares herself, I'll tell you what little you should know: before Eden and December 32nd, even before the rise of the 4 Founders, there was the Kingdom, and all power users in Japan fell under its rule. There were great noble families," she nodded to Kouji and he grimaced, "and those whose power elevated them to greater heights. Yet all were under the jurisdiction of the wise King of All Earth, and his earthbound goddess, the Queen of Heaven…"

Rui was the only one who noticed the transition from Shibuya's living room to 19th century Japan, and it was only because Kouji had let his hand fall against her shoulder, fingers tangling in her hair. She looked up at him, hoping there would be something in his countenance that would put an end to the confusion in her heart - yet before she could meet his eyes she was swathed in a darkness even she did not know, and a sense that she was no longer herself. Then there was only the dream.

...

...

...

...

...

**Please enjoy the double update, as a Christmas present for all to enjoy! And before you go thinking this is going to be like Lost Dreams and I'll never update it again, I've got 45K in reserve. RESERVE. I will get this done, and it will be awesome. So read freely, and I'll update on Sundays, and I love you all. **


	3. Strange New World, Part I

**I do not own Code:Breaker**

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**Chapter 3- Strange New World, Part I**

**In which the story begins, and the kingdom is reached.**

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**Notes – The flashbacks in this story take part in the Meiji era, and was a time of rapid westernization and change. I'm no historian, however, so please forgive any mistakes pertaining to historical accuracy! (Also please tell me what I'm doing wrong, then I can fix it!)**

**Just so no one gets it into their heads incorrectly, Hideyoshi is NOT the Prime Minister. Evil McEvilpants will show up soon enough, no worries. **

**It might be a bit odd to start off with Karin, but just as she is new to the power user's world, so are we...**

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**1898**

Karin stepped off the boat, knees wobbling at the transition from sea to land. Even in this modern day and age, combined with the assistance of her special abilities and that of her cousin, it had taken months to reach Japan. Those months had taught her nothing but a hatred of the ocean and a slightly better grasp on intricacies within Japanese language and culture. Although her father had insisted she be fluent in his native tongue, he had not raised her as was expected within his culture - this, coupled with the fact that she had undeniably taken after her caucasian mother – made her nervous.

Yet anything was better than sitting on that damn boat for one more day, and so her relief outweighed her fear upon taking her first steps on Japanese soil. Shihoin Kouji, her paternal first cousin, traveling companion and comrade, turned back and laughed at her. "Welcome to Japan, little cousin! I'm surprised you're this eager to be here – I know how little you were looking forward to the food."

Karin scowled and manipulated a twist of wind so that a strand of his long, dark hair escaped its braid and fluttered behind him. This only made him laugh harder, drawing the attention of the dockhands unloading the boat's cargo. Then, using similar movements, he called upon the air to do the same to her.

"Kouji!" Karin hurriedly smoothed down the copper-red locks. All right, so she _knew_ she started it, but Kouji also knew how self-conscious she was about how different she looked. It hadn't been as noticeable among her mother's people, but she had been assured that in Japan very few people would like anything like her – even the half-bloods tended to darker coloring. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but she hoped to find a home here in Japan. After all, there was nowhere left to return to…

Shaking off the remembrance of the reason she was here in the first place, she walked down the ramp, trailing closely after her cousin. Although he had left six years ago, men still bowed to him as he passed. Karin supposed it was natural. He had aged well, and did not look too much older than the day he left. Yet it was more likely they knew of his return from either his father, Toshirou, or the king himself.

Thinking of the king reminded her of her mission, and she clutched her bag tightly to her chest. Would he listen to her fairly? Or would he take offense at her father's betrayal, and not accept his last gifts?

"Lord Shihoin! This way!" A pompous looking official called out, and Kouji raised a hand in greeting.

When the man had turned away, Kouji muttered out of the side of his mouth, "Your introduction to Japan starts here, cousin. Don't be nervous, but that man was in the employ of Fujiwara Hideyoshi - the field marshal of the king's army. Although his special power is fairly weak, his military genius is second to none. I assume he will travel with us on the way to the palace."

Karin's eyes widened. It was intimidating to be thrust among the nobility of Japan's power users immediately upon arrival. She had hoped for more time to steel herself before meeting the King. Still, she had not been raised to fear, and even less to show it. She breathed deeply and adopted what she hoped was a calm, unafraid visage.

Five men awaited them at the dock, and at first glance Karin could not tell which one of them might be Fujiwara. Two were short, wearing traditional Japanese garb; two others were slightly taller and dressed themselves in outdated, but undoubtedly Western array. None of them looked particularly noble, but as she was basing her opinion off of her experiences with Kouji, she really had no idea. If she had to guess, she would say it was the fifth - the only one taller than her, as well as fashionably dressed. He was a handsome man who stood with impeccable posture and stared her down with an expression that could set fire to wood. She did not break his gaze, however, refusing to be cowed before she spent an hour in this land.

The eldest - one of the shorter men - spoke first, to Kouji. "Welcome home, young Lord Shihoin. I must say, it is a surprise to see you've brought a..._friend_ back with you. But perhaps we should be insulted - are our women not good enough for you?"

Karin stiffened. She turned her gaze to the speaker, and so missed the way the tallest man's eyes flickered. Yet before she could retort one of the western-style men picked up the conversation.

"Now, now Atsushi...there's many types of beauty in the world. Her hair and eyes make her quite interesting to look at, don't you think? She would do well among the pleasure seekers looking for some variety."

"How can you say that, Daichi? Just look at her! She's as tall as a man, and built like one too! She'll be more popular among the women, at any rate-"

"_Enough." _Karin's vehemence cut through the insults, and she concentrated on the wind between their bodies. Raising her palms slowly, she propelled the three who had slighted her seamlessly into the air, keeping them still even when they began to flail in panic.

"Oi, what is this?"

"Lord Shihoin? Make her release us!"

"Let us down this instant!"

"_No." _Karin resisted the impulse to spin them violently, but just. "Is this all Japanese men think of? Whores and _variety?_ I had been told this was a place of honor. It seems I was told wrong." She dropped them suddenly, all three falling to their backsides. They glared at her, and one reached for his bow.

Beside her, Kouji threw back his head and laughed as they rose to their feet. "Not even an hour in and you're already upending men on their asses!" He bowed low, turning a tense moment into a joke. "Gentlemen, may I present to you my dear cousin, and daughter of the wayward Shihoin Tokitou, Karin." She bowed, but looked only at the two men who had behaved themselves. As she rose, she locked eyes again with the leader, the one with the impenetrable gaze. _He doesn't like me_, she thought. _He may be smarter than his men, but I'd bet anything that he doesn't like me at all._

That in mind, she was only a little surprised when he bowed and finally introduced himself. "I am Fujiwara Hideyoshi. My men and I will be accompanying you on your way to the capital. I apologize for their audacity...you and your cousin will not be further troubled by them, I assure you."

Kouji grinned and shook Fujiwara's hand. "That's good to hear, Field Marshal. Thank you for your assistance."

"It is a matter of course, Lord Shihoin. Yet the distance to Takama ga hara is far, and we will only be able to travel by train for the first half. We should move on, if you are ready."

With one final bow in their direction, Fujiwara left them, disgruntled attendants in tow. Karin waited until they were out of earshot before turning to her cousin. "Was _that_ because I am a woman...or a foreigner?"

Kouji shrugged. "Probably a mix of both. After all, Fujiwara wears a suit in public, yet from what I recall maintains a very traditional personal life."

Her eyes shuttered. "Women are just as powerless here as they are in the western world, aren't they?" It was not a question; the dejection in her tone made clear of that.

Kouji placed a hand square on her scalp, looking her dead in the eyes. It was an action taken from her father, who had done so on the rare occasions he had something serious to say. "You can't think of yourself as a woman, here. You must be a power user first and foremost, and serve the king. Else your time here will be very difficult, comrade."

…

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…

…

It took nearly three weeks to reach Takama ga hara, the seat of the man who ruled over all the power users. It was located on an island hidden from the world by arts both ancient and new, and had flourished for hundreds of years. During its long history, the city had never been discovered by outsiders, although they occasionally engaged in trade with a select and trustworthy few. It was here that the power users flocked, and even their ungifted family members were allowed to live there - albeit usually in the villages that orbited the capitol.

They traveled by train to the eastern coast of Japan, disembarking a few days away from the coast. Then they made their way east, relying on the tried and true paths to make their way to the nearest village, where they would receive transport to the island.

To Karin, everything was new and exciting. The people looked so different than her mother's - slight and dark compared to tall and fair. Yet the land was even more different. At this time of year, her homeland would be swathed in darkness, and the sun would only shine for a few hours a day. Here the climate was much more moderate, and even though it past noon the sun still hung high in the sky.

Between the new experiences, training with Kouji, and a few more..._charged_ interactions with Fujiwara's retainers, it was easy for Karin to forget why she had come in the first place. Yet when the fishing boat finally came to rest on the shores of the island of the power users, remembrance came - as well as the fear of meeting with the king to give unwanted news.

As the boat docked Fujiwara turned to her, extending a hand to help her onto land. Although he had made it quite clear what he thought of women who used their powers aggressively, he had proven himself to be a gentlemen. If it were not for the challenge in his glance and the suspicion that she would be seeing much of him in the future, Karin could have forgiven him his sexism. As it was, she kept careful around him, and was thankful for his small acts of civility. She grasped his hand firmly, as a man would. Neither spoke, even after she was firmly planted on the ground.

In retrospect, she wished he wasn't so nice to look at. Then she could dislike him properly.

From there, it took three more days of travel to reach the palace. Along the way, she spoke only to Kouji. Although the content of their message was too painful to dwell upon, she had no idea how to present herself to the court, nor how the king would take the news. It took the entirety of this last leg of their trip to drill her in the basics of court etiquette, the spoken and unspoken hierarchies of the palace, and to run over contingencies in case things went badly.

Furthermore, Fujiwara had finally told them that the king had remarried several years ago, and to none other than Shihoin Hikari - Karin's older half-sister. This complicated matters. If Hikari blamed Karin for the loss of her father, then the king may be more inclined to punish her for her father's transgressions. On the other hand, it brought Karin into the path of the person she had long wanted to meet, and brought her closer to fulfilling an old promise she had made with her father. She could only hope that the queen was as kind as Kouji claimed.

...

The city of Takama ga hara was magnificent; a blend of both eastern and western, traditional and modern. Situated a few hundred yards from the cliff's edge, it was surrounded by austere, ivory walls that glistened in the sun. When they rode through the front gate Karin was stunned at the shock of life and color - stalls lined the crowded streets, and people bustled to and fro. The air rang with the calls of the vendors, the cries of exotic animals, the gossip of women and the excitement of children. Better still were the demonstrations of rare powers - a child sang with four voices in perfect harmony; a woman prompted exotic flowers to twine around her stand; a man caused a pool of water to flow upwards into the sky. Kouji had told her it was market day, and thus would have a different flavor than the rest of the week. Karin was enchanted - she could have remained at the entrance the entire day, watching the bustle of activity. Yet she could not put off her duty, so she followed Kouji through the covered archways until they arrived at the palace.

They were commanded to the king's chambers immediately upon arrival. The honor was due in large part to Kouji, whom after six years abroad had finally come home. Out of their entourage only Fujiwara accompanied them, as one of the highest ranking men in the realm. The others had to remain behind, and Karin exchanged heated glares with his entourage as they left. She hoped that this would be the end of their interactions - as all the men were connected to his household, rather than the army, she did not think it was too fantastic a wish.

The council chamber was huge and open, with pillars that stretched from floor to ceiling, and a glazed window that reflected a different shade of light every quarter hour. At the far end of the room sat and king and queen, perched on elevated thrones. While the queen wore an elegant kimono and hid her painted face behind a fan, the king lounged casually in a western suit at the cutting edge of modern fashion. He exuded an immense aura of power that she could feel from across the room.

She swallowed. She was unsure of who to fear more: the king...or her unmet sister.

"_Presenting Lord Shihoin Kouji-"_

The king gestured him forward, and the queen sat up a little straighter in her chair. Karin glanced at her cousin from the corner of her eye, and wondered at the serious expression on his face. Compared to his expression when lit with the joy of battle, this didn't suit him. It also made her wonder whether they had more to fear than he had admitted.

She waited patiently yet nervously as they warmly welcomed him home, asking him question after question about his observations, training, and experiences. Just as his counterpart, the Emperor Meiji, the King of All Earth was highly interested in modernization, and it had been the angle Kouji had used when he decided to leave the palace and to make contact with his uncle, six years ago.

After half an hour the queen, who had shot frequent glances at Karin since Kouji began his tale, finally garnered her husband's attention. At a lull in the barrage of information, she gestured to the back of the room where Karin stood, next to Fujiwara. The king's brow clouded. "Kouji...it seems you have brought someone back with you. I assume she is a power user, if you have brought her here. I had _not _assumed, however, that you were in a marrying mood."

Karin frowned, and at her side Fujiwara stiffened. She wondered why everyone in Japan assumed she was the love interest. Especially for Kouji, who had - to her fairly extensive knowledge - never looked favorably upon anyone in his life. She knew it was difficult to see what little family resemblance there was, but was there truly no other reason for a woman to come to Japan? Or perhaps they all assumed western women were harlots? She shook off such thoughts at Kouji's snort of laughter.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I must correct you - the young lady in my entourage is already family not only to me, but to the queen. If you will permit me, may I present to you Shihoin Tokitou's daughter, Karin?"

The queen dropped her fan. It folded as it landed, and Karin felt a chill run down her spine. For a moment, no one moved, taking in the ramifications of Tokitou's actions - fathering a child out of wedlock in the foreign country he had exiled himself to. Even worse, _not telling the king._

"_Do not be afraid." _Fujiwara's whisper was barely more than a baby's breath, yet it cut through Karin's fear like a knife through warm butter. That he thought of her and knew precisely what to say meant more to her than his grudging respect at the docks, and his civility throughout their journey. Four words were enough to make her forgive him everything, and to raise him in high esteem. Yet most importantly, it gave her the courage to walk forward, meeting Kouji at the center of the room.

The king stared down at her, and she was close enough now to make out his features. He was older, yet handsome; with even features, a noble bearing, and slanted eyes that drew one in. "Do you speak our tongue?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Are you who he claims?"

"Yes, my lord."

He looked down at her, long and appraising. "I did not send for you. Why have you come?"

She took a deep breath before bending to one knee and bowing her head. "I have come to give you bad news, my lord. Shihoin Tokitou is dead. He and the messengers you sent all fell when my village was attacked by _skraelings_ from the forest. Kouji and I were able to fight them off, but barely." She reached around her, pulling several cloth-wrapped bundles from her pack. "My father finished several commissions before he died. Yet I do not know who they were for, and so I bring them to you." When she raised her head she met not the king's eyes, but the queen's. "_I am sorry._"

The queen stared back at her with glacial impassivity, and Karin felt very small and stupid with her wet eyes and bag of trinkets. They weren't even a fitting reminder of her father; a man who had laughed like a donkey, wandered alone for hours without telling anyone, and used a wide array of sound effects when telling the least of stories. She blinked hard to fight back the moisture. It was not up to her to beg for her father's forgiveness. He had abandoned his old family, and now she must accept the consequences.

"Skraelings?" The query came from the king, who, if he noticed the silent exchange between the half-sisters, did not remark on it.

"What her people call demons, my lord. Monsters of shadow and bone. They targeted the power users in the village – my uncle's workshop seemed the focal point for the attacks. Had we not just returned from sparring in the forest, we wouldn't have known they were there until it was too late."

"Did they attack those ungifted?"

"No, my lord."

The king nodded in Karin's direction. "And her ability?  
"Wind manipulation. It is very similar to mine."

"I see." Not a word of remorse, either in a personal or official capacity. It shouldn't have surprised her - power users who choose exile must face harsh consequences. The king sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. They were shaken loose a moment later when he pointed to one of the bundles in front of Karin. "I'll need an in-depth report on this later, with the war council. For now, show me what the craftsman has made."

Shihoin Tokitou's power was unique, even among a rare people. His was the ability to restrict or to outright negate someone else's power. Yet he could not use it directly onto someone. Instead, he infused his ability into objects - a glove, a ring, a necklace, or a child's toy, to name but a few examples. Truthfully, his ability was much more useful this way. The objects he created lasted long after his death - something they had tested with the ear cuff she wore, hidden by her long braid.

Karin unrolled the largest bundle, slowly revealing a cloak, an unsheathed dagger, a stuffed bunny, a cup, and two belts. She laid them in a row, briefly explaining what little they had been able to test of the products. One of the belts was much stronger than the others, and curiously, the knife would not cut, no matter what it was used against. The next satchel contained three rings, a necklace, and a folded bracelet. They had experimented more with this selection, and had something to say for every item. The smallest bundle she did not touch, merely setting it aside.

The king nodded, satisfied. "Yes, several of these I recognize. The doll should be for Fujiwara's youngest, if I am not mistaken." His glance fell on the final package, and he frowned. "And what of that?"

Karin inwardly cursed. She had thoughtlessly taken it out with the others, and although its recipient was in sight, she did not know how to give it to her. "It is a gift, sir. For Hik- for his daughter. If she will accept it."

All eyes turned to the queen, who watched the bundle with thoughtful eyes. After a long moment of deliberation she leaned down and picked up her fan, flicking it open and using it to hide the lower half of her face. When she spoke, her voice was surprisingly low, and even at a quiet tone seemed to cut right through Karin. "Bring it to me."

_You can do this, this is the accomplishment of your mission, and for God__'s__ sake don't drop it now…! _Karin rose, with the bundle in both hands. Without looking anywhere but her half-sister's face, she slowly walked up the steps of the dais, only stopping when she stood an arm's reach away from her. From this close, she could smell her perfume and see the faint smudge of paint by her left ear, yet she still couldn't read the purpose glittering in the queen's black eyes.

"Unwrap it for her." The king's command was jarring, but made sense. It was foolish to expect the queen to take an unidentified object. Karin unwound the cloth, letting it drop to the floor. When she was done, she held a small teakwood box, ornately carved, and whose wood caught the light in peculiar ways. It was magnificent. It was also without a latch to open it.

The queen took the box, turning it over and examining it from every angle. Finally she looked up into her younger sister's eyes. "He made it for me?"

"I assume so."

"You assume?" There was a challenge in the queen's dark eyes, but for the first time that day Karin felt a bit of hope. She had not refused the gift, after all, and she would do so if she hated it, surely?

"I did not see him make it. He had it as long as I can remember. But it is for you. He called it 'his labor of love' and told me that-" Karin swallowed, fighting back the sorrow the memories caused, "...he said it must be delivered to his first masterpiece from the hands of his second. That is all I know."

The queen watched her with a peculiar look in her eyes. "The remembrance pains you?"

"I loved him very much, my lady."

After a long moment where her eyes searched out Karin's, she nodded. "I see. You are quite honest, and straightforward as well." Her lips turned up in a small smile, and all the ice was gone from her gaze as if it never existed. Her next words were directed towards her husband. "I approve of her, my lord. If I may request, can she stay with me for a time? I would like to have the opportunity to acquaint myself with this unexpected gift...and the giver." She looked back at Karin, and the smile had grown large and impish underneath the paint. "After all, it is not everyday that one gains a sister."

Karin's light eyes widened. While this was wonderful news, the sudden change from reserved to welcoming was worrying. Had the mysterious box caused her or them to go mad? Or had she simply passed some unknown test?

Behind her, Kouji chuckled. "Now there is the cousin I remember. I almost didn't recognize you with your queenly mask in place."

The queen's smile grew. "My lord, may I invite _both_ to stay as long as they wish? Only if my cousin behaves, however. Otherwise we should throw him out."

The king smiled fondly at her, kissing her fingers in a very western gesture. "Of course, my dear. They'll have to stay for briefing at the very least. Although if you'd like a moment with your sister now, I _suppose_ I can release you."

"Thank you, darling. We'll be in the garden if you need us."

Stunned, Karin turned to Kouji in hopes that he would explain any or all of this. The bewildered expression on her face only made him snicker.

The King of All Heaven also noticed her amazement, and gestured grandly to his wife. "My wife's judgement surprises you? It is not only for her kindness that she is named the Queen of Heaven - it is also due to her infallible ability to read the hearts of man. Just to look her in the eye is enough for her to know your character. It is why a stranger such as yourself can be trusted in her company."

Karin turned to her sister who rose and stepped gracefully down to her. She leaned to the side and without thinking, Karin offered her arm. The queen accepted, smiling mischievously up at her. It was then that Karin wondered just what she had gotten herself into.

Queen Hikari led her down the marble path, nodding graciously to the few still remaining in the chamber. Her sister, whose senses were still reeling only noticed one - Fujiwara, who stood near the door and bowed deeply as they passed. Karin hesitated a moment, waiting just long enough for him to rise.

_Thank you_, she mouthed, smiling as she did so. A curious expression colored his eyes, fleeting and indecipherable. There was no time for a more discerning glance, however. The queen tugged her slowly yet steadily from the room, and soon only the men remained. Fujiwara waited until the door had closed behind them before approaching the throne. Meeting him at the center were the chief of staff, and the commander of the special forces - the only other two men in the war council who had waited on the king today. Shihoin's testimony would have to be presented before the entirety of the council, yet the queen's exit had allowed them an opportunity to have a preliminary discussion on the disturbing news from the north.

Kouji's smile dimmed as soon as the women left the room. He shook the hands of all the men, lingering slightly longer with Fujiwara. He wondered at his silent interaction with his cousin, yet knew it was not the time to ask.

The king opened with no effort wasted on preliminaries. "Now that the women have left us, let's discuss the attack. Kouji, you're sure demons attacked the village?"

"Yes. They were slightly different, but undoubtedly the same type of monster that razed the coastal village eight years ago."

"Yet how could they have migrated that far? There have been no word of attacks from other outposts…" The portly chief of staff huffed, red-faced and indignant. "And there has been no lessening on their onslaught _here."_

"And the same rules apply there, as well. Only attacking power users, and are attracted to where we are more heavily concentrated…" The commander of the battalion of power users mused. "Perhaps _how_ they travel is not as important as how they sense us."

Kouji turned to the king. "They are still attacking Japan, then? In all my years there, they only attacked once, a few months ago. Although I did not tell my cousin, it was largely what prompted our immediate return to Japan. I also worry about what the presence of demons in the far north means."

The king rubbed his temples and leaned forward on the throne. For a moment his entire being seemed to flare with anger, like the pulse of a bonfire. "After their first attack eight years ago the demons were quiet, waiting several more years before they moved against us again. Yet their affront has grown exponentially, and for the last several years the villages outside the circumference of the royal city have one by one become unsafe. Roads lay untravelled, and the coastal areas are nearly impossible to reach. We've lost contact with several villages, and have no hope of regaining it."

"Worse yet are the dragons. Although only a few have been seen, the destruction they cause is terrible. Towns have been destroyed in a single night." Fujiwara spoke slowly, as if impressing the importance of his words on every man present. "We have lost some of our most powerful champions in battle against them. None have prevailed."

Kouji grinned, his teeth flashing white and dangerous as a shark's. "I suppose it's a good thing we've come home, then. Training _was_ getting a little boring."

The chief of staff demurred. "And what can wind do against a _dragon_? Their scales must be at least a foot deep!"

Kouji smirked at the man. "Everything must breathe, Matayoshi. There are techniques I've worked out to use when I am at a disadvantage. Or did you think I'd been sitting on my thumbs for the past six years?"

The king's attention was caught by something else, however. "_We?"_

Kouji shrugged. "I didn't bring Karin here to sit and look pretty, my lord. At a time like this I figured we'd need all the power users we can get. She is strong and resourceful, and has trained along with me. But if you can't take my word, ask the field marshal - he's seen her spar."

Eyebrows raised and heads all turned in the direction of Fujiwara Hideyoshi, knowing his opinion on women and the battlefield. Put on the spot, Fujiwara gave Kouji a displeased look. "She is... powerful, my lord. If somewhat green. If she were not a woman she would make a welcome addition to any army. As it is, it is your majesty's decision."

"Do you think she is capable enough to serve at the front?"

Fujiwara exhaled and looked down. "It is at your majesty's discretion."

The king leaned back. "Well, well. That was a flimsy attempt at protest if I ever saw one. It's settled then- I will send her to the front lines in a month or two; let Hikari have some time with her, first. Perhaps I should assign her to your task force, Hideyoshi." He smiled widely at Fujiwara's hesitant nod. "In the meantime, I need Kouji debriefed and ready to begin training within three days. The demons have laid low for the last two months. They will strike any day now, I can _feel _it."

The men all bowed, knowing the strength and versatility of their sovereign's power. His command over hell's flame was not just limited to peerless skill in battle - he _knew_ things that no living man could know. It was a mystery that none dared to contemplate too deeply, as the king - although righteous - took even the smallest threat to his power seriously.

"We must focus on ways to neutralize the dragons, in particular. I fear that their time is coming; no longer to nip at our heels but to move against us in full force. Something is coming, gentlemen. Something great and terrible, and I cannot see an end to it."

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**With this chapter, all the original characters ****with important roles will be introduced. There'll be others like Kouji and Sakurako's mothers, and a smattering of rare kinds – Rei and Bentou's mothers, but this should largely be it. **** Maka will show up in the past, but not for a while yet ****as she is a toddler.**

**If anyone has ever played Lost Odyssey, Queen Hikari sounds like Ming. Who was my favorite, even with the horrific outfit. Buhhh.**

**Takama ga hara translates to ****Plain of High Heaven, ****and**** is taken from Japanese mythology. It has a wiki, in case you would like to know more :D**

**The next chapter introduces my favorite character. Are you ready for this? I AM.**

**Questions? Please tell me if anything doesn't make sense!**


	4. Strange New World, Part II

**I do not own Code:Breaker. **

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**Chapter 4- Strange New World, Part II**

**In which danger and friendship is realized**

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** Prime Minister Fujiwara has not shown up in the story yet. Field Marshal Fujiwara is his older brother. That's why he's kind of awesome. **

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**_1898. Three months later._**

Karin stood at attention, ignoring the dip of the tent that brushed against her head in an effort to look tall, strong, and utterly unassailable. If nothing else, she would settle for anything other than how she felt, which was different and awkward and alone. She kept her eyes fixed on the field marshal, who, had he not been seated, would also have had trouble standing upright. She did not gauge the heights or the levels of comfort of the other men in the tent, as she would then have to acknowledge that not a single man in that tent wanted anything to do with her. So her resolve was firm: as soon as the attendant carrying the plans arrived, Fujiwara would be outlining her first official mission with the king's forces, and she _must_ complete it perfectly, else she would never prove her worth. If she could at least establish _that_, perhaps it wouldn't be so lonely here, since Kouji was still at the palace training recruits.

While they waited for the attendant, each person in varying levels of patience, Karin let her mind reach back to the time she had spent with her half-sister. Hikari had proven to be very different than she had appeared at first impression – such a thing was done intentionally, and had worked well in ferreting out threats to her husband and her country. Yet as soon as they were alone in the garden, the queen had shown her true self.

_The queen launched herself into Karin's arms, acting more like a girl of 16 than a woman of 26. She smiled widely into her younger sister's stunned face. "You're so tall! You must have got the height from your mother...I always wanted to be just a little bit more- oh, and your eyes are so exotic! Shaped like ours, but the color...ah, but you have the hair. The bane of the Shihoins, with the way it fuzzes and curls like that…" Hikari ran her fingers over the loose strands that had escaped Karin's braid. "Yes, just like Kouji's, before he learned how to straighten it." Her exuberance halted long enough for her to drag them over to a bench, half-hidden by the trailing branches of a weeping cherry tree. She carefully placed the box down behind her before she took both of Karin's hands within her own. "Now. Tell me everything. Of our father, and yourself, and your home. Did Kouji behave himself? Is your ability really just like his? How old are you?"_

_ The queen's barely contained excitement finally wore through her shock, and Karin smiled. "My lady, I can only answer one question at a time…"_

_ The queen pouted, painted lips crinkling. "I think when we are together, you must call me by name. We are family! It is only right."_

_ "If you insist...Hikari. Well. To begin with, I am 19 years old…"_

_ The women spent the rest of the day in the garden, speaking until their throats grew sore. For as much as Karin told the queen, she learned something in return. Her sister was kind as well as beautiful, and her empathetic abilities gave her understanding beyond her years. Yet there was a deep well of loneliness that yearned to be filled; shaped by her upbringing imposed by a cruel mother, and fueled by her lofty position. _

_ Yet Hikari did not blame Karin for their father's defection. She knew more than anyone how hateful her mother could be, and how painful it was to live with her. Fortunately she had found a reprieve with Kouji and his family – with them, she had learned that familial bonds could surpass society's restrictions, and that in loving them she found not only freedom, but a way to strengthen her powers. _

_Throughout the next month, the girls had spent time and traded tales, learning of each other through stories and experience. Hikari learned of Karin's childhood, from her mother's soup to her father's wayward habits, to the way Kouji still pulled her hair sometimes. In return, Karin learned all the ways Hikari had made the chief of staff red with rage, several embarrassing secrets to use on Kouji in retaliation, and the untold story of how the king and her sister first met._

_Hikari had told the story late one night as the girls sat together in Karin's room, having sent the servants to bed for an early rest. Karin sat behind her, comb in one hand, Hikari's shining mane in the other. They had learned early on it was futile to brush Karin's fiery curls, although Hikari was fascinated with playing with her sister's wet locks directly after the baths. "It was at Kouji's home, actually. His mother had just sent me into the kitchen to check on the servants, who were taking an oddly long amount of time with the refreshments. Yet when I got there I could see why – someone had broken through the window, leaving a mess of rain and glass all over the floor! It was Matsuhiro, of course. The audacious man had gotten drunk and actually walked right through the window! Several of the girls had been standing quite close at the time, and were covered in little cuts and blood - nothing serious, but it made me angry all the same. So I yelled at him. I absolutely did. I called him a ruffian and a miscreant and that if he had seriously hurt any of our girls, I would take him to the king. _

"_Of course, then he took off his hat, and there in front of me was Takama Matsuhiro, the King of All Earth himself."_

"_What did he say?" Karin giggled and paused combing to glance around at her sister. The queen was imposing with her stark makeup, but much more beautiful without it - now one could see her faint freckles, and the tiny laugh lines that framed her eyes. _

"_He said, 'Oh Lord, tell me you're not the lady of the house!'" Hikari laughed. "Back in those days, Kouji's mother was feared for miles around - no one could dress down a man like she could. By the time I was able to convince him that I was merely her niece, he had already gone down on a knee and begged me to spare his life. Of course he was only joking, but it went a long way in clearing my impression of him. That, and helping the girls disinfect their cuts."_

_Karin had no such stories of her own. Her illegitimacy had carried a heavy stigma among her mother's people as well, and she was nowhere near so attractive as her sister. She had known early on she was no maiden of romantic tales, and had dedicated herself to her training instead. Neither could she relate any of Kouji's romantic misadventures as there were none._

_Hikari had been astounded. "Kouji was celibate? Didn't your women desire him?"_

_Karin laughed. "I suppose. But this is _Kouji-_ I doubt he's ever looked at a woman with _that_ in mind. I doubt he'll ever love anyone save his wife, whomever she may be."_

_Yet her sister did not seem fully convinced. "And he never spoke of anyone? Not even-"_

There was a commotion at the back of the war tent, and it drew Karin's attention from the past to the present. The attendant was making his way through the men, clutching the rolls of papers. He kept his head down. Yet when he brushed past her, he tilted his head in her direction. All she could see was the curve of a smile, the rest of his face was in shadow.

Fujiwara held out his hand. "Finally. The documents?"

The attendant handed them over, bowing slightly as he did.

"I trust you had no trouble, Takehiro?"

"None." From her angle, Karin could see his smirk widen. There was something...off about the man. Something different. But what? And why did it make the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end?

"Good. Stand behind me." Fujiwara stood, and Takehiro slid behind him, ducking down so that before she could get a good glance, his face was hidden once more in shadow. Fujiwara began to speak, but for a long moment Karin could not process any of it. Replacing her determination to fully comprehend Fujiwara's instructions was an inexplicable desire to know what was _wrong_ about the attendant behind him. It was not in the man's smile, infuriating as it was. It was something deeper than that, something primal-

"We are in charge of protecting the entirety of Takama ga hara, as well as the north and western lands to the sea. While many of the lands under our protection have already been lost, we will not concede one more _inch_ of our home to the demons nor the dragons. Your mission is to reclaim the village of Nishihara. We will use it as an outpost to regain further lands-"

_She couldn't feel him._ Her ability allowed her to feel everyone, even when they attempted to hide their position through modern or magical arts. No one could sneak up on her without her knowing, all that had shape and form would trigger her senses in more ways than one. Yet she could not feel this man, nor could she feel the air around him. Even with those shielded by her father's works, she had at least been able to sense their exhales. This man was, if she relied solely on her power, either a ghost...or far, far more powerful than she.

"...the elite corps of power users will focus on the eldritch beings, priority given to a dragon, should one appear. All others focus on rescue and recovery, and bringing down those who are possessed…"

By now he had noticed her staring. The determination to _know_ was like a fever, and Fujiwara's instructions blended together. How could he not sense the danger in this man? How could he be on first names terms with him? Takehiro stared back, guarded amusement in his eyes. Karin's eyes narrowed in return.

"Camp moves out at 10 AM. Rest until then. Dismissed. Shihoin, a moment." Karin bowed with the men, still caught in her quandary. There were other power users in the tent, and none of _them_ seemed to notice anything wrong about the aide...perhaps she was imagining things. Or the man had a subtle ability that cancelled out her own? She glanced up as she rose, but all the men in the tent were now gone; including the mysterious one.

There was no warning save a low, mocking voice, quiet and close to her ear. "Looking for me? You'll have to be faster than that!"

She spun and threw up her arms, barely fast enough to block his blow. Takehiro grinned and jumped back, moving nearly too fast for her eyes to follow. It was fortunate that he had been unarmed, else she would have been seriously hurt. This display both proved and disproved her theories, however. The man was no ghost. Yet even after she had made physical contact with him she still could not sense him!

"You're a lovely woman, sweetheart, if not to my tastes. Far too bold for me - were you trying to make me blush with all that staring?"

_Insufferable little…! _ Karin grimaced in distaste as she dodged his attacks. She wasn't making a good show of it, as so much of her training relied onfeelingher opponent and their attacks - whether their movement through the air, or through...other means. Yet with him, she was only able to judge his attacks the moment before they landed when they scrambled her airspace…

One of his blows hit hard, and although she managed to twist to the side he still caught her squarely in the ribs. She skidded back to the edge of the tent, not sparing a glance for Fujiwara, who had stood. "That's enough, Takehiro-"

"_Try it again."_ She knew now what she had to do. Her command over this technique wasn't perfect, but Kouji had drilled it into her since she was 16. If she couldn't do it now...well, how long would she last against an opponent not made of flesh and blood? Her quiet command overrode the field marshals, and Takehiro shrugged.

"Sorry, boss. Can't say no to a lady." He leaped forward, moving so quickly he seemed to sear the air. Karin held her ground, keeping her head tucked to her chest, focusing every inch of her concentration not on him, but on the air pressing up against her own body.

He attacked from the back, honing in on her left side. She felt his movement like a ripple in a pond, the faintest brush of air against her tricep. There was not enough time to dodge, but there was to attack - she brought her elbow back in an upward jab, catching him square in the face at the same moment he brought down the side of his palm on her shoulder blade. The contact rocked them both, yet she was able to catch herself on the edge of Fujiwara's desk and was further steadied when he reached out and secured her. Takehiro was not so lucky, falling back and tearing through the tent and into the light rainfall.

Karin glanced back at her opponent, who sat up slowly and rubbed his nose. Bright red blood dripped from it, and she bit her lip. On one hand, it felt good to knock that man down. On the other hand, she had just hurt the field marshal's aide.

"_Enough._ Both of you. I will not have you injure each other before the battle even begins!" Fujiwara leaned over his desk, annoyed and rubbing his eyes. His other hand worked at his bun, and Karin wondered how long it would take for strands to fall down over his face. It was the first time she had seen him in anything other than perfect command, and it made her gut clench. There was no more time to think about it, however, as Takehiro was suddenly at her side, once again moving far too quickly to be normal.

He was still smirking, although the drying blood on his lip made it more bearable. In fact, it made her smirk a little herself.

The sight seemed to annoy Fujiwara further. "I had _planned_ on sending you two to scout the area ahead of time, although heaven knows how that would go _now. _Would either of you care to tell me what _that_ was about? Takehiro, I did not give you permission to test whomever you would. Likewise, I would rather you had listened to my instructions, Shihoin."

Chastised, she looked down. She did not notice the expression of the man at her side. "I am sorry. I was distracted. I should not have been."

Fujiwara watched her carefully, dark eyes glittering in the lamplight. "Distracted by what, exactly?"

Karin glanced up his attendant, who, although no longer smiling, was just as enigmatic as he had been during the debriefing. "How do you mask your presence so completely? I can't feel you at all. It's...it's unnerving."

Takehiro raised an eyebrow. "So you weren't gazing longingly at my handsome face? Pity. I should have known it would be something mundane as that."

"Mundane! Even those who wear restrictions _breathe_, and I couldn't sense a single exhale from you! If Kouji hadn't taught me how to guard my own airspace, I wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Is that how you sensed him?" Fujiwara mused, glancing from one to the other. "Very few can spar with Takehiro at all, even when he's moving at half that speed. So your attack was not simply luck?"

Karin shook her head. "Even trained non-power users can sense a blow before it lands. I simply widened my area. I'm not as good as Kouji, but in this case it was enough. Clearly I need to practice more." She turned to Takehiro. "I'm sorry for my rudeness. I am also sorry I found you suspicious. Clearly you are the field marshal's man. But is that your power? Speed?"

For the first time, the attendant looked mildly uncomfortable. "Is that protocol where you're from? To baldly ask something so personal?"

She frowned. "I- I don't know. The only power users I've only ever known were Father and Kouji. Is that not something I should ask, here?"

Fujiwara cut in before Takehiro could respond. "Whether it's proper or not, it's something you may discuss on your own time. For now, I need your word that there will be no repeat of _this_ outside the sparring ring. Can I trust the two of you to work together?"

Takehiro grinned. "Ahh, the brilliance of the glorious field marshal! Stick the misfits together, else the rest of the army rises up and throttles them. Well, I have no problem with it. If she can make me bleed, she'll undoubtedly do worse to our enemies." He smiled broadly at her, waggling his eyebrows. "What do you say, sweetheart?"

"_Don't call me sweetheart."_

"Well then what _should_ I call you? A foreign Shihoin doesn't seem likely...and it's far too personal to call a lady by her first name. How about Red? Curls? Tiger?"

"Only if I can call you halfwit."

Fujiwara watched them now with look of detached amusement. "Although I can't argue with that, better call him Shibuya. He's loathe enough to give out his family name." He turned to the protesting man. "And _you_ will refer to her with respect, no matter her legal status. Understood?"

It was not a question, and it was directed to both of them. They glanced at each other, neither relishing the days to come. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Meet back here in 5 hours - you two are moving out at dawn."

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Her first mission under Fujiwara's command was, until the very end, incredibly boring. She and Shibuya had set out with the sun, both determined to prove their superiority over the other. They had moved quickly and quietly through the forest, he leading and she scanning their surroundings for danger. Neither spoke. It was the only way they could keep from squabbling.

A few hours later they reached the village, and it was clearly abandoned. It was eerily quiet in a time when the village should have been waking from its slumber. Yet there were no men making their way into the forest to harvest firewood or hunt game; no women throwing open their doors to clean or cook or gossip with neighbors; no children grumbling on their way to school. There was only the creak of the wooden fence in the wind, and the oppressive sense that something was watching them.

With a quick nod and a gesture, it was established they would split up. Fujiwara would have forbidden such a decision, but both had the utmost faith in their abilities. Besides, what the field marshal did not know would not hurt him.

Karin started a counter-clockwise circuit, peering into homes to check what her senses already knew - there was no one living in the village, but corpses aplenty. Demons had dined here, ripping open men, women and children in their bloodlust. She shivered as she looked to the skies, fighting down momentary nausea. The wanton spilling of blood was by no means reserved only for demons, yet it had become the symbol of evil throughout the kingdom. Hikari had told her that women on their moonflow were ostracized, even more so if they did not burn the stained cloth. There were even superstitious beliefs circulating that claimed one could summon a demon with an offering of blood - and never mind that the demons only targeted those with power, ignoring all else. Fear was running rampant through the kingdom, and Karin believed it was the true enemy. After all, demons and dragons could be killed. Fear was what killed _you. _

They met back at the center less than an hour later. Shibuya broke the silence, looking uncharacteristically grim. "You weren't attacked either? Figures. Could you sense any sign of their presence?"

Karin frowned at the nearest home. "No. Just the corpses."

"We'll have to run back and tell him. There's no point in bringing the whole army for this. He'll send a squad to burn the bodies, and purify the homes. C'mon, let's go-"

Yet while he spoke she felt something shift. There had been movement, but it had not been in the air. "Wait. Something's...something's wrong."

They turned as one, and lying in the mud was a child's corpse lying where none had been before. Karin's blood turned to ice in her veins. Unlike the other cadavers, this one was full of blood - the skin bloated and dark with the rich liquid within. This child had not been feasted upon. By the warning singing through her blood, she knew this was no human child at all.

At her side, Shibuya swore. A pale hand clawed at the dirt, and the child-thing pushed itself up slowly. The monster raised itself haltingly, jerking from one position to the next, like a puppet on a string. Mud and blood caked its body. One eyeball hung loosely from its socket, yet the other turned on them with a terrible gleam. Before they could do anything other than assume a defensive position, the child-thing tilted its head back and rent the air with an inhuman scream.

From its mouth billowed a dark cloud, teeming with horrendous faces within the shadow. Demons billowed forth, inky black punctuated by the ivory of bone and teeth. Karin froze, reliving the horror of her father's demise all over again. He had been overcome by the demons, swallowed whole by the possessed messenger. She had been too late to save him, but not too late to witness his final moments-

_Crack._ Shibuya slapped her sharply across the face, pulling her violently back to the present. He yelled something at her, yet the scream was ringing inside her skull. He gestured to the child, still spewing forth demons. Finally she understood. The child. It was the source. They had to eliminate it.

The shadows were coalescing into frightening shapes. Karin pulled the air towards her, and then released it suddenly, as a child would a spring. The half-formed demons flew back to the trees, buying her and Shibuya a little time. Shibuya was bouncing from foot to foot, glancing between her and the child with an uncertain look on his face. It took her too long to understand his indecision. "What can you fight? Demons, or the child?"

He looked like a very different man without the perpetual smile. It didn't suit him. "The child."

She shoved him forward, cutting a path toward the abomination with wide, swinging gestures. "Then go! I'll hold them off!"

He sprinted forward, and the demons moved in behind him, cutting him off from view. Karin was hard pressed then - shoving the wisp monsters back, attempting to buy Shibuya time before they hardened into substantial form. Those that had already become corporeal were trickier opponents. They converged around her, and she was forced to draw the kris knife from her belt; jabbing and sweeping with the blade in her dominant hand, twisting and directing the wind with the other. All the while she engaged the defensive maneuver she had learned most reliably, the misdirection of the air closest to her body. It would not stop the oncoming blade, or claw, or bullet as would Kouji's, but more often than not it would give her enough time to dodge, or turn aside all but the most concentrated strikes.

Yet accuracy was not as important as were their increasing numbers. Karin grimaced when a talon rent a long, jagged line down her back. She would not be able to hold them off much longer. "Shibuya! What are you waiting for?"

As if in response, the unholy wail of the demon-child ceased, and a ripple passed through the demon horde. Their source had been eliminated. Shibuya had finally fought his way to the possessed child and decapitated him, ending the flow of dark matter. Now it was a matter of dispatching the remaining demons. This, Karin could do - she ended her wind assault in favor of the bowie knife in the opposite sheath, and she fell to slaying her enemies. Eventually she carved a path to where Shibuya fought alone, katana in hand; using his inhuman speed and strength to flash from enemy to enemy and cleave them limb from limb.

Yet his defense was his weak point, as was hers. So without verbal direction they fought together, back to back. The sun rose higher in the sky as they battled, yet they never despaired of victory. They fought well together, a solid if untrained mix of talent and physical prowess. Eventually Shibuya slew the final demon, and it uttered a sharp cry as the darkness folded in on itself.

For a long moment they held their position, catching their breaths and continually shifting. Shibuya's eyes flitted from one direction to the next, trying to guess where the next wave - if there would be one - would come from. Likewise, Karin closed her eyes and concentrated on the wind whipping through the trees, circulating through the houses, and around their very bodies. As her concentration grew deeper, she concentrated on something even more primal, listening to the beat of her heart, waiting to see if it would react as it had the first time.

There was nothing. As one they relaxed, sheathing their weapons and shaking their limbs loose. Karin hunched over, catching her breath and willing her fear down. This was the second time she had faced demons and it was no easier. If Shibuya had not been there to support her, she very likely would have been lost. Annoying as he was, there was only one thing to do. "Thank you."

He glanced over at her and wiped sweat from his brow. "For what?"

She stood and met his gaze. He was slightly smaller than Kouji, and so they stood at the same height. The seriousness in his gaze told her he was not being facetious - he saw nothing to require thanks, even slapping her out of her shock was simply duty. The realization made her smile, and extend her hand. "For being incredibly annoying."

He snorted, yet returned the shake. "Anytime, Red."

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_Present_

Sakura blinked into consciousness, rising up into awareness as she would from a dream. For a moment, the assertion that her hair was wrong, as was the shape of her body was incredibly strong. Yet when her father shifted next to her, the illusion shattered. She was back in the present, sitting in the living room, having finished with what she suspected was the first part of a much longer tale.

"Mother of _God_ what the fuck was that?" Toki slammed both feet on the floor. "That was- it almost…" He glared at Karin, who held up a sagging Maka. "That wasn't my _father, _was it?"

Sakura frowned. It had been over a year now, and Toki was still so sensitive to his father's sins. Enough so that is masked his common sense - the field marshal had looked much like him, but was not identical. If she had to guess, she would say-

"Field Marshal Fujiwara was your uncle." Kouji nodded to the unconscious woman across the room. "And Maka's father."

"Is she all right?" Sakura stood and approached the women, ignoring Toki's subsequent squawking. Yuuki was at her side in moments, bending his head to Maka's heart.

"I can hear a heartbeat, Nyanmaru. Mystery Ladymaru is a-ok." He flashed her a peace sign, and Sakura smiled.

"Yuuki is correct. Maka will be fine, she just needs to rest often. Her power is difficult to use at the best of times, and she has been...very tired, as of late." Karin grinned at them, before hefting Maka into her arms. She walked her over to the loveseat and planted her squarely on Shibuya's lap. "Here, you take her, Takehiro."

"What exactly _is_ her power?" Sakura looked from Karin to her father, ignoring her friends on the couch entirely. Ogami especially. Although she had not looked at him once since the dream had ended, she could feel his eyes on her...and it was slowly driving her crazy. "She was what showed us the story, yeah?"

"She's the dream maker." As if he had read her mind of the resolve she had made not to look at him, Ogami spoke up from the couch. "I heard my brother speak of her, once. She takes memories and allows others to relive them." She cast her eyes low and half-turned, so that she would only look at his knees. Any higher and she would be lost. "He thought she was a myth."

Shibuya laughed. "She's simply a very private person, Ogami-kun-"

"She's_ the myth? You're one to talk." _Sakura's muttered aside startled not only her father, but also herself. Although she could not look at him she _knew_ Ogami had heard, and from the way he shifted forward, was interested in hearing more. Mortified at what she had let slip, Sakura felt color rise into her cheeks and turned to her father, hiding her face behind the fall of her hair. "I will help Prince-dono prepare dinner, father. I leave you in charge!" She snapped off a playful salute, her embarrassment lessening when her father returned the gesture. Then she was scurrying through the door to the kitchen, nearly barreling into Rui, who was taking steeling breaths and pep-talking herself as she leaned over the kitchen sink.

"_Keep it together girl. You got this. You cannot get all faint of heart now that you've seen him with his hair in a sexy manbraid-"_

"Um, Prince-dono?"

"Wahhh!" Rui spun, brandishing a suspiciously large chopping knife. She relaxed when she saw who it was. "Sa-Sakura! Did you...did you hear that?"

Sakura would simply not be Sakura if she would lie. "Yes."

Rui sank back against the sink and groaned. "Ughhh. Just...don't say anything, yeah?" Although she took more deep breaths, her face slowly turned crimson. "I'm so pathetic, aren't I? Running away the minute the dream ended…"

Sakura stepped forward, opening the fridge and removing the ingredients for nikujaga. "I'm just as bad, Prince-dono. Why do you think I came in to help?"

Rui's eyes moved to the door, suspecting that Ogami would be in earshot on the other side of it. He _did_ have the tendency to hold close the few things he loved. "I hadn't thought you'd be afraid to talk to him-"

"I'm _not_ afraid." Sakura slammed down the ingredients a little too hard, causing them to clatter on the countertop. "I'm not! I'm just following his stupid rules, is all. _He_ was the one who wanted us to live in different worlds. He's the only one who hasn't flouted that during our years apart." She exhaled harshly, keeping her shoulders firm. "I know why he wants that. Most of the time, it's doable. I'm just not used to seeing him, is all."

Rui's heart twisted, and her own problems were momentarily forgotten. "Sakura...you know he's not given up on you, don't you? He watches over you, even when he shouldn't. It's-"

Sakura's sad smile cut Rui off. "I know. I know he does." She tapped her nose. "Never underestimate a rare kind's sense of smell, Prince-dono."

There was nothing Rui could say to that. The girls prepared dinner in silence, each lost in their own troubles. Eventually, strains of conversation filtered in through the door. Yuuki's voice in particular: "Why aren't the Samurai Lady and Dead Zed here? Are they gonna' be in the story too?"

Shibuya's answering chuckle, "Sakurako and Zed will show up soon enough. They have something they need to check on, first. And of course they're in the story! Just not yet."

Rui stole a glance at her companion. "I suppose it's obvious enough to ask, but...you and the President are on good terms, yeah? When did you start calling him father?"

Sakura smiled, and it was untinged with the stress of ignoring Ogami. "Oh, for a couple of years now. I talked to Gotoukou, and we decided I would call them both father."

"And...you see him enough for this to come up?"

Sakura paused in her high speed chopping and looked at her companion quizzically. "Of course! We see each other once a week." She smiled at Rui's concerned expression. "And before you ask it's not really a secret. Father proposed a long-term case study for the social behaviors of rare kinds. His theory is that the more interaction we have, the less we tend to 'go small.' Privately, he thinks we do that when we spend too much time with power users. But he's certainly not going to tell anyone that, even if things are refreshingly less corrupt than they used to be."

Rui shook her head. Annoying as the President was - and it seemed as if that trait hadn't changed a bit in the last 100 years or so - he had his moments. Securing his place in his daughter's heart and life even when her best friends were unable to was certainly one of them… Without further ado, the girls set to preparing dinner, each lost in their own thoughts. Although sounds drifted in through the closed door, neither noticed the voices of the ones who lingered in their hearts. Yet for the moment they had each other, and that was enough.

...

The dinner that followed was one of the most awkward of Toki's life, and that was saying something. He had been duty-bound to eat with his father until only a few months before his inevitable betrayal, after all. But this...this came close.

For one thing, Kouji had elected to sit next to Rui, and that meant an evening of Code:Mom blushing and sputtering over her plate. Had that been all, it would have been enough. Yet tonight was the night Kouji decided to make things more complicated by giving her little sidewise glances out of the corner of his eye, directing 90% of his conversation to her, and draping his arm oh so casually over the back of her chair. Unless he was mistaken, Kouji may have even allowed his fingertips to brush up against Rui's back. Judging by the way Rui was very red, and very, very still, she was close to her breaking point. The only way _that_ situation could be worse was if he had been sitting in Yuuki's seat at her other side.

Of course, that wasn't all. The shitty cat - who had been an asshole for over one hundred years, and Toki privately thought that was pretty impressive - was talking with Karin, who was beginning to look more and more familiar to Toki. Yet not as she was now. It was the image of her then, with with the natural color of her eyes, and the length of her hair, and the challenge in her stance. He had _seen_ her before, he knew it. But where?

Toki shook his head. He could think about that later. Right now, he had to focus all his considerable charm into making his situation a little more bearable. He was currently situated in the least desirable seat of all - in between Sakura and Ogami, who were directly across from each other.

Both were very carefully not looking at each other, not speaking to each other; barely raising their heads to avoid any accidental contact. The air between them was thick with tension, and Toki, with his considerable worldly experience knew exactly what it was. Unlike the rest of them Ogami had held himself strictly out of Sakura's sights, and since his declaration of love and fervent last kiss, hadn't so much as _looked_ at another woman. Toki didn't know for sure, but he would assume Sakura had been just as obstinate. Lord help him from abstinent fools, but the two were choking on an uncomfortable mix of love, lust, and unfinished business. Until they addressed that, they could count on more awkward dinners.

Thankfully, there was plenty of conversation down at the other end of the table. Karin had finally shaken off Shibuya and sat beaming at Rui, who sat across from her. Rui, who had been undergoing a very uncomfortable evening between Kouji's fingers and her own timidity, didn't quite know what to do about this. "Can I...is there..._what __do you want__?"_

Impossibly, Karin's smile grew even wider. "You're Kouji's comrade, right? Hachiouji Rui? It's _wonderful_ to finally meet you. I've wanted to for so long-" she cut off when Kouji interrupted his quiet conversation with Shibuya to glare at her. "What? She only took care of you for over 10 years! I'm simply paying my respects." She turned back to Rui, waggling her eyebrows. "So. Would you like to hear some embarrassing Kouji stories?"

"_Karin-"_

Dinner wound down as it had during the war against Eden, with laughter and shouting, impromptu battles and smashed crockery. A small place inside of Toki's heart unclenched. Maybe it didn't matter how odd things currently were, or how strained things had gotten after the war. Maybe he was just as strange as his friends, and the generation before them. Even with the looming threat of demons, dragons, and long-kept secrets, it simply felt good to have everyone together again.

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** Sorry for the late and probably very rough update – the last couple days have been spent in airports and snowstorms and an old friend's wedding, so writing and editing have been hectic. I am currently uploading this in yet another airport, so here's to everything going ok, and me getting home before work tomorrow.**

** Next chapter teaser: In the past, Kouji has uncomfortable discussions with just about every female he knows; while in the present Sakura and Ogami (finally) have a discussion of their own. **

** R&R!**


	5. Straining Ties

**I do not own Code:Breaker**

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**Chapter 5- Strain****ing Ties**

**In which Kouji makes some unsettling discoveries, and Ogami does not succumb.**

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**Chapter notes: Omiai - a marriage meeting between the prospective partners.**

**Sensei - teacher**

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** 1898. **_**2 months later.**_

Kouji frowned as he surveyed his students, and bit back a sigh of despair. 5 months of his training and they still had problems grasping basic constructs. Many of them were completely unable to simultaneously focus on defense and offense in equal measure. Had they learned nothing? Were his instructions falling on deaf ears? No wonder the war against the unholy beings was going so badly. It was because power users like these were the hope of Japan!

"Shihoin-sensei...perhaps we should rest for the day? Shinji is already in his lost form, and Akihiko is close as well." One of the less enterprising students spoke up, but he was right. Shinji, a burly man from the east was currently a rabbit, hopping contentedly about Kouji's feet. His brother looked decidedly green. Kouji sighed. There was no point in rushing the students to their lost forms, especially as in rare occasions such a loss could lead to their demise. He would have to end their lesson now, and hope that they would somehow improve by tomorrow…

He released them, wondering as he often did how matters at the warfront were going. The king received messages daily, not only from the field marshal, but also the leader of the special forces. Progress was present, albeit slow-moving. The special forces division had taken out three demon infested villages, yet had lost core members in doing so. The army had a bit more luck - they had salvaged a town and a village, and thanks to Fujiwara's personal power user team, had lost very few men. This was good news although somewhat predictable. Neither team had run into a dragon, and that was to be the true test of strength.

Fujiwara had, as he requested, sent him a few lines in terms of Karin's progress. Apparently she was working closely with Fujiwara's personal aide, a man who - while not a power user - had impressed the field marshal with his exceptional strength, speed and skill. Lauded as the man was, however, Kouji could find no one in the capital who had heard of this Shibuya Takehiro. It was curious and somewhat unsettling, although there was nothing to be done. Kouji could not assess the situation until he could ask Karin, or witness the arrangement himself. There was no way for him to communicate with his cousin. While she could speak Japanese fluently, her father had never taught her to read or write.

Kouji took his time with his morning routine, wishing there was someone else in the palace near his level. The king was inhumanly strong, yet he no longer had much time to practice - Kouji was lucky if they sparred once a week. There _was_ the king's son, who was rumored to be comparable to his father...yet the man was rarely here, and for unfortunate reason - he was illegitimate. With his father's marriage barely two years before, the situation had become an awkward one, especially since Hikari had not yet conceived. So the young man kept his distance, and Kouji's training suffered for it.

Kouji ran through the rest of his routine, letting his thoughts drift away. Although he was a highly intelligent man, he found his greatest solace in movement. The strength of his limbs, the quickness of his reflexes, the burn of his muscles, even the pain of battle was joyous to him. The harder he was pressed; the deeper he was wounded, the greater his euphoria grew. Karin's people called it bloodlust, a battle-joy that was prevalent among their warriors of old. All Kouji knew was that battle defined his being. It was his purpose. He was wasted on training, especially with those who could not withstand his intense regimen. He should be out there, unleashing death upon those who stood against him, his family, his country.

Yet to lose himself in his selfish desires was against his discipline. He was not only here to train the hopeless; he was also to guard the king and queen against those who had lost their homes, friends, and families, and had seen nothing in return. While Hikari was beloved of all who met her, and Matsuhiro a powerful ruler who had reigned for over a century, there were many who had flocked to the palace following the ruin of their home, and their frightened voices were hard to rise above. Besides, it only took one dissident - one moment of mischance - to commit regicide.

After he had finished his training, cleaned and dressed himself, he set off to meet his sovereign. He took the long path to the king's chambers, passing through the kitchens, the eastern guest wings, and finally moving through the great hall. It was there that he realized he may have made a tactical error.

"Oh, Kouji. I _knew_ I would see you here if I waited long enough-"

Kouji internally groaned. His Aunt Kaede, his father's younger sister, had always been somewhat capricious. She was powerful as were her older brothers, yet had a sense of humor that verged on the inappropriate. It culminated in uncomfortable encounters that Kouji had no time for. Yet now she was bearing down on him, and there was no escape. He squared his shoulders, grit his teeth, and prayed this would be over soon. "Yes, Aunt? Is there something you need?"

"Stand down, boy. I have a simple enough request." She smirked at him, raising a perfectly maintained eyebrow. "Your cousin, Sakurako...there's nothing more that can be done for her at home. She needs to be here, and trained. Not necessarily by you, boy, don't give me that face. But her power is more than we can contain, even with Tokitou's trinkets." Her brow creased for a moment, as she remembered her eldest brother and his recent passing. "God rest his soul. But the matter remains. Will you ask the king if she may come to court?"

Kouji bowed, hoping this would be the end of it. "Certainly, Aunt. Sakurako's skill with energy would be well appreciated, especially now." He turned to leave but his aunt gripped his sleeve.

"There's...something more." She looked uncomfortable enough that it stopped Kouji in his tracks. "When I say her ability is impossible to contain...there _is_ something we've managed to do…" She looked around furtively before dragging him over to a window ledge. Here they would be far enough so that no one could eavesdrop, and anyone watching would think she was merely scolding him, as aunts were wont to do.

"Sakurako...a few years ago we began to suspect her power was not energy. She was acting oddly - one minute she was euphoric, the next raging, the next in tears. Those around her began to sicken, and unless removed from her presence, became seriously ill. Two came within a hair's breath of dying." She closed her eyes. "We think her power is _life_, Kouji. And when she loses control of it, she unconsciously sucks it from all those close to her."

Kouji's eyes widened. Such an ability was unheard of, even in their family. The Shihoins had mastered rare and dangerous powers throughout their time as a noble house, and had offered up at least one pure elemental adept - usually with a tendency towards wind - each generation. Yet this...this was truly exceptional. Perhaps there had been more merit in his aunt's union with the Sakurakouji line than had been previously expected.

He grinned, baring his teeth like the wildmen of the north. "Then she truly must be trained. Even if the king does not take her, I shall. But what did you mean when you said you found a way to contain it…?"

Kaede hesitated, eyes sweeping the room. "There is a boy. One of the farmer's sons. Your uncle found him two years ago, wandering the village after the demons went through it. They never leave anyone alive...yet somehow he managed to survive." She sought his eyes and held his gaze. "And not just that - the boy had killed them. Killed them _all. _ Yosuke wasn't sure until he approached, but then these dark tendrils emanated from him. If the boy hadn't passed out, your uncle would have died as well."

Kouji frowned. He knew the signs of those possessed, and knew the devastation they could cause if they were not apprehended. Demons would lie in wait inside the victim, only emerging when they had the upper hand. Yet if the boy were a Carrier, how could such a thing be safe for Sakurako? And how could the boy be anything else?

"Yosuke brought him back. Said he had 'one of his feelings,' and that if nothing else, it could be a good test for Sakurako's powers. If her power was truly life, after all, _this_ shouldn't kill her."

Kouji nodded slowly. Clearly, the story ended well, as Sakurako was still alive. Had she killed the boy, then…?

"We laid him in a guest room, and led Sakurako to it. We...well, by that point we knew he wasn't a Carrier, at least. Yosuke had an inkling of what he was even then. Regardless, when they met, they fought. There was yelling and clashing, but we couldn't open the door against their powers. Finally we ran around to the window, but by then it was over. Both were fine - they lay there, tangled on the floor like puppies, their power still sparking in the corners of the room. Since then, they've been inseparable.

"The most we can figure is that their powers cancel each other's out - if Sakurako is life, then the boy is death. And even though we initially downplayed the danger surrounding those with taboo powers, we told her plenty of the scandal that would follow were she to bring a young peasant boy - not a year older than her - to the capital. Either way she refuses to budge. She gets away with it at home, so she assumes she'll be able to muscle her way through, here. Honestly, we are afraid to press the issue - since we've taken him in, his powers have been contained, and so have hers, and neither have shown any ill effects." She looked up at her nephew, her eyes pleading. "We knew the taboo on demonic powers - death, blood, darkness...but we couldn't help it. Thanks to the boy, Sakurako is safe. And now she'd do anything to protect him...as he would her."

Kouji's dark eyes flickered. "How close contact do they need to 'contain' each other?"

"I'm not sure. They don't sleep in the same room at night, if that is what you're asking. But they spend every other moment with each other, so I'm not sure."

True to his nature, Kouji didn't waste time thinking of a way to put it gently. "Are they lovers?"

His aunt huffed, an odd mixture of indignance and disappointment. "Unfortunately not! He _is_ handsome young thing, if a bit weedy. But they're only 14. And if you knew your cousin at all, you'd know that Sakurako is not...the most feminine of girls. She carries her grandfather's old katana around, simply because she _can."_

Well _that_ was promising news. It was a thankful thing the women in his family tended towards tomboys...it provided him with excitement, at the least! "I'm on my way to meet with the king, now. Let me put this before him. In the current situation, we need all the help we can get."

"Thank you, nephew. We would forever be in your debt."

Kouji nodded. "Before I go, did the boy have a name?"

"Ahh, yes. He wouldn't tell us who he was when we found him...or perhaps he doesn't remember. Sakurako named him Zed. From the western alphabet, I believe. She said it was because his hair was so light."

"Zed…" Kouji mused. "The ending of the alphabet. Fitting, I suppose." He bowed once more to his aunt. "I must take my leave. Stay safe, Aunt. I will send word as soon as I know."

He headed off, more determined than ever to meet with the King. Perhaps staying would not be so terrible if he had youngsters of their calibre to train…

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Several hours later found Kouji fresh from his conference with the king, and standing directly outside the queen's garden. His attitude now, as compared to what it had been earlier, was radically improved. Yet there was a line of uneasiness that ran through his thoughts, and it was this that he had to hide from his cousin. He suspected that she would not be kindly disposed towards the king's decision, although for her sake he hoped Sakurako was a kind girl, if also a wild one.

_The king had been amused at Lady Shihoin's tale. "Bring the girl here to be trained, then. Especially if she has spirit - what spitfires run in your family! The eldest son exiles himself, leaving behind two energetic daughters of his own; your mother - and you may never tell her this - frightens every man in Japan with her sharp tongue, and now this! Not to mention yourself, of course. The Shihoin line is truly fearsome."_

_ "And the boy, my lord?" Kouji had glossed over his aunt's certainty that the boy's power was over death. Yet it was impossible to hide, and he had voiced her suspicion. The king's gaze shuttered, yet he had taken no time to announce the boy's sentence. _

_"If his power is over death, then you know what must be done. Much as I value both the Shihoin and the Sakurakouji families' service, I cannot put the safety of the boy over the safety of my subjects."_

The king's ready answer made Kouji's heart skip a beat. Although he did not ask, he suspected the king's decision applied to the other taboo powers as well - blood and darkness. If that were the case, he would have to move carefully and always keep one eye on potential escape routes.

Kouji was so deep in his remembrances that he almost didn't sense the door moving outward at a surprising speed. As it was, he only had a moment to react before the doors slammed against the walls.

"I was going to wait for you, _cousin_, but you were spending such an unaccountably long amount of time staring at my doors that I decided to assist."

Kouji looked down at the queen's mischievous smile. She had foregone her facial paint, and he could see the freckles on her cheekbones when she smiled. He smiled in return, yet the light in her eyes dimmed his own. Hikari should no longer show so much joy when she saw him, five months after his return… "Forgive me, my lady. I was lost in thought. May I enter?" He gestured to the bright space beyond the doorway, and Hikari dipped graciously, allowing him through. He took in a deep breath of cool, clear air, generously scented with flowers from all over the world. It was a miracle of horticulture that the effect was pleasant, rather than overwhelming.

She lead him over to the gazebo, hung throughout with roses of every color. She sat gracefully on the very bench she had during her first meeting with her half-sister. Kouji elected to stand, never having felt comfortable in such a feminine bower.

"Well. To what can I attribute this unexpected visit? You never seek me out, Kouji. And you were never fond of flowers." Hikari tilted her head to the side, and Kouji remembered her as she had been 15 years ago as a young girl running through his mother's garden. She had loved plants then, but had never been allowed to do something so mundane as dirty herself with mud - her mother had seen to that.

Shaking off the memory, Kouji devoted his attention to revealing precisely what he needed to. "A few things, cousin. First, I bring word from Aunt Kaede - about her daughter, Sakurako. She seeks your leave to bring her here to wait upon you. Would this be acceptable?"

Hikari held his gaze. "There is more to it, is there not?"

Kouji smiled inwardly. Hikari was trusting, yet never wholly believed in anyone. "Her power is somewhat unstable, and she needs training. The king himself has offered to make arrangements. Until she has reached a level of mastery, however, there is an unorthodox method she has employed of curtailing her powers…" He told her of Zed, and their bond. "The boy can function in any number of capacities, yet he needs to stay close to her. It is for both their sakes."

Hikari drew herself up to her full height. She was not a large woman by any means, yet she had a gaze of steel that could intimidate almost anyone. "I will not condone anything improper. You should _know_ that-"

"Neither will I, cousin. We were raised the same. Aunt Kaede assures me they are only friends, nothing more."

She nodded. "Then I will look forward to our younger cousin's arrival. I have not seen the girl since she was quite young. It will be good to have family close by." She brightened. "Speaking of family...have you heard from Karin? Has the field marshal sent any word?"

The girls were as different as night and day, yet they had come to love each other after only a few months. He supposed it shouldn't be too surprising - Karin had lost everything, and as an obvious outsider in a strange land was eager for affection and approval. Hikari was just as desperate, having spent most of her life in seclusion. Besides, they were family, and both had been raised to value that over everything else. "She is doing fine. She's made a friend of Fujiwara's personal aide - apparently they bicker like children, yet are deadly together on the battlefield."

When it was obvious nothing else was forthcoming she broke the silence. "And...that's it?" Her voice rose in confusion. "He didn't say anything else?"

"What else is there to say? She's unhurt, fighting well, and has at least one person to talk to."

"But is she happy? Is she doing well? Are the men treating her with respect? Is she-"

Kouji scowled and cut her off. "They are at _war,_ cousin. Fujiwara has better things to do than worry about her happiness. Besides, if there was a problem, he would tell us. As for her state of mind, you'll just have to wait a week or two. I can send back a more personal message when I reach their encampment."

The queen stilled, her hands folding in her lap. She looked up at him with wide, startled eyes. "You...you are leaving then? To the war? But I thought Matsuhiro wanted you here…" She glanced down, clenching her hands together violently. "I..._we_ thought you would stay."

Kouji looked away so that he would not have to see the fragility in her posture, the hairline cracks in her queenly facade. He had thought that six years away would be enough. Marriage should have fixed the rest of it. Yet this was reminiscent of her plea just before he left, when she had begged him…

...no, he would not think of it. The guilt alone was uncomfortable enough, but to remember such things now was to dishonor them all. "The king and I have already conferred. He believes the dragons are coming, and that I can help Fujiwara's forces. That, and my skills as a teacher are awful, and I am wasted here in the palace." Kouji grinned, trying to break the tension. His cousin still held herself apart, yet no longer tried to hide the pain swimming in her eyes. Kouji cursed himself for a fool. Hikari was emotionally weak, especially when she felt abandoned. He should not have tried to make a joke of his leaving.

The queen took a deep, calming breath. "And what of your other duties? Who will protect Matsuhiro and I now that you are gone?" But for a faint glint of desperation in her eye, Kouji would have thought she was fine. As it was he knew she was clasping at straws. He was not pleased with the king for instructing him to tell her personally.

"Those same people who have been protecting you for years. I'm not leaving forever, cousin. Just for a few months." _Or until the threat is utterly annihilated. "_Then Karin and I can come home together, and there will be nothing to worry about."

She looked straight at him and all his self-reassurances were lost. This was the same expression she had worn when he had denied her, and again when he had left two months later. "I do not want you to go, Kouji. _ Please_ stay here."

Kouji closed his eyes against the bitter memories and the sudden urge to run away. "Do not do this, cousin. Not unless you are prepared to tell your husband why you wish for me to stay." He bowed, not wishing to hurt her any further than he already had. "I will bring your love to Karin, and your best wishes to the men in Fujiwara's regiment. Until we meet again." Before she could call him back, he turned and swept from the room, subtly calling upon the air around the door to open it for him. It was only when the doors had shut behind him and he had made his way down the long halls to the sparring chamber that he allowed himself to relax. By the time he reached the center of the ring, he had done more than relax - he allowed himself to feel what was natural. Anger, for having to relive uncomfortable memories, disappointment for Hikari's weakness. Yet above all pity that she had not healed as much as he'd hoped, and that she had forgotten less than was wise…

_When they were 18, she had sought refuge with him after her third failed omiai. His cousin had grown to be a __notable__ beauty, and her mother had barely allowed her to grow to maturity before throwing her into the path of rich and powerful men. It was due only to Hikari's unnerving ability to ferret out any past sins that the marriage meetings had all ended in failure - this one was no exception. Her mother was furious, and had Kouji and his mother not been their guests, Hikari would likely have come to harm. _

_ He had found her in the garden, sifting dirt between her fingers. She was quietly crying, and Kouji felt that flash of discomfort whenever he was faced with feminine frailty. Although he appreciated their beauty and form, no woman had yet moved his heart to anything deeper than friendship, and he doubted one ever would. "Hikari. Come back inside. Your mother has been put to bed. It is safe now."_

_ She glanced at him sidelong, tears highlighting her dark lashes. "It will never be safe. She will never let me go! Father escaped her, but I never will - even when I am married she will always be there, haunting me and my family." She wobbled as she stood, now weeping in earnest. "I don't know what to do, Kouji! If I marry, I'll be free of her but that is exchanging one prison for another...and all of them would make me miserable! I can _see _them; I know what they have done!" _

_ "Hikari…"_

_ "And even if there was a single honorable man in the pack of thieves and __leches__ she has chosen...it would not matter at all." She tried to smile, but it was lost amidst her sorrow. "It is already too late. My heart has chosen for me."_

_ Kouji froze, his mind whirling in panic. Although he paid women little enough attention, he was neither blind, nor stupid. He simply wished he was not the one her heart had decided upon. "Hikari, I-"_

_ Hikari moved closer to him and he stepped back automatically. For a long moment they looked at each other, both with a pained, complicated expression. Finally, Hikari sighed and tried to smile. "I...I know, Kouji. You have no interest in marriage, or in love, or in anything other than battle. But...even if it were simply an arrangement of convenience? Think of it as a way of protecting me! I don't ask for anything more than that!"_

_ His fear wore off, and disbelief took its place. "I could protect you from your mother, but not from yourself. I will never be the husband you seek, nor the man to give you the love you deserve. Besides, I will be leaving the country soon, and I don't know when I will return."_

_ "Then let me wait for you...I can wait until you come home-"_

_ "I could be gone for 10 or 20 years. Possibly more."_

_ Her pale skin shone like a pearl against the moonlight that filtered through the trees. The tears served only to enhance her beauty, and had Kouji been a different sort of man he might have given in. "I will wait forever, Kouji. I will marry no man other than you...I will _love_ no other man than you. Let me have at least this! Even if you never love me, let me keep on hoping…!"_

_ Kouji loved his cousin, as dearly as any man could his family. Yet he could not love her as a man loved a woman, and his honor demanded he break her heart. "I'm sorry, Hikari, but I can give you no false hope. There is no future for you and I." And then, as if he had an inkling of what would come, "You are made for greater things than to be the wife of __a reluctant__ man like me."_

Kouji growled as he came back to himself. The time between her confession and his departure had been awkward enough, there was no need to dredge up the memories now. Although it pained him to see her so upset, there was no regret in his heart. When Fujiwara had told him she'd married the king only a few years ago, he had honestly been happy for her. Yet it was obvious now that the shadow of her old feelings for him lay heavily over her heart.

All the more reason to remove himself from her sight, and to send him to where his talents and passion combined. He would leave at dawn, and would, gods willing, reach Fujiwara's camp by sundown.

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**2018**

The transition from past memories to present was not as jarring this time, largely as Maka had not overused herself to the point of collapse. Everyone came back to themselves within the blink of an eye, no different than they had been this morning save a little hungrier and richer in experience.

It was a combination of these two factors that had Rui vaulting over the arm of the couch in an effort to reach the sanctuary of the kitchen. No one would follow her there, not today. Sakura was firmly wedged between Toki and Yuuki on the couch, and she knew that Toki at least would have the delicacy to keep her from barging in after. Now that she was alone, she could process what they had just seen.

Rui was not stupid. She knew that Kouji was a painfully handsome man, and that many women had made their appreciation known. Although he had not done anything as crass as taken a lover during the years he had raised her, she had always assumed he had loved at least one woman in his lifetime. She had taken it to be the reason there was always a darkness in his eyes whenever he turned the subsequent women down. Yet to see such a beautiful woman beg him to love her and _feel_ him be unswayed…? It presented yet another fear to add to her already crippling shame: perhaps Kouji was correct in thinking he would never love a woman. Perhaps he was _unable_ to. Homosexuality was no sin in her eyes, but she couldn't help but draw painful parallels between herself and the Queen of Heaven. Both had been hopelessly in love with Kouji. It looked like both loves would result in absolutely nothing.

"You know, I almost didn't believe him when he told me he'd taken in a young girl. Even less so when he called her comrade."

Rui whipped around, darkness flying to her fingertips before she realized it would do no good. Shadow had never worked well on Kouji, so why would it work on his cousin? It didn't stop her from launching herself forward in an instinctive effort to hide her embarrassment. "I… I-!"

Karin raised her palm in a universal symbol to stop. Rui did, jerking to a stop only a foot away. It was not the first time one of her rampages had been halted by the use of someone's power, but something about this felt different. It certainly didn't feel like the air around her had hardened...it felt more as if her limbs had stopped of their own accord.

"In all the years I have known him, he has been very, very careful with women. Even _children,_ Rui. He has never let another woman share his table the way he has you...or his home, or his path in life." Karin spoke quietly with her back to the door. Only Yuuki could have overheard her, had he bothered to listen. "I've never known him to be domestic in the slightest, yet he spent more than 10 years with you. Surely you know he cares for you…?"

Something in the woman's calm demeanor snapped Rui's control. "Caring for a child and for a woman are...they're two different things! I may be his comrade, but that's only because I threw away my femininity. If I took it back now, I would lose what little I have. Just like she did."

Karin's eyes softened. "You are not Hikari. Kouji does not think of you in the same way. Hikari could never have fought, never accomplished_ half_ of what you have. She would have been so jealous to see someone like you in Kouji's life."

Rui leaned back against the counter, shielding her face with her hand. "Yeah, well none of that matters if he's not looking at women in the first place."

"Wait, what? Wh-No...no, he's not gay, Rui."

"How else could he turn down someone like that?"

Karin bit her lip, as if she wanted to say something but held back at the last moment. "He's _not gay. _Just...trust me on this. He just didn't love _her_ back." Her eyes dropped to Rui's shoulder, where her hair sat just so. "And I don't understand when you speak of 'throwing away your femininity.' Your beauty and grace is obvious, even if you wrap it in leather and whisky. Your hair alone-"

"That! That was...that was for my _parents_, and-"

"And who was the one who asked you to grow it out,_ hmmm?_" Karin smiled and she leaned back, deftly avoiding Rui's frenzied headbutt. "Now, now. If he hated your feminine side, he wouldn't have you emphasize it. And if he didn't respect your abilities as a warrior, he wouldn't fight at your side. My cousin can be stupid, but he's never intentionally cruel."

Even though she was currently mad at him, the urge to protect those she loved was too firmly ingrained. "He's not stupid!"

There was something pitying in Karin's expression when she responded. "No. You're right. But he is afraid. You'll see soon enough, but things...did not go well for him. I suppose the same could be said for all of us, but most of all for him. He still blames himself, even though there was nothing he could do." She smiled gently, before taking Rui's hand in both of hers. "I will leave you now. I'm sure any advice from me would be worthless - I only met you a few days ago. But I will say this - whenever the two of you are separated, he thinks of you. Whether as a woman or as the girl who calls comrade I cannot say, but you are always in his thoughts."

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Yuuki is, by virtue of his special ability, an extremely observant boy. Hearing everything, no matter how slight, is a skill that is difficult to turn off. Therefore the dream sequences are odd to him - he cannot use his ability on someone else's memory, so he is as everyone else. He cannot hear the whispers of the crowd, nor the beating of hearts, nor the hitches in desperate breaths. It is unnerving and a relief when the dreams end. He personally doesn't see the point of this exercise. History is all well and good, but he is unsure why he and his friends need to know this particular story. Especially if hurts Ruirui, who is his mother figure and secret crush all at the same time.

Yuuki turned his fiercest glare onto Kouji after Ruirui ran into the kitchen. Yet he needn't have bothered. The samurai looked uncharacteristically subdued, and after a moment of gazing into the middle distance, stood to go after her. He was pushed back down by his cousin, however. A look passed between them, and then Mystery Ladymaru #2 went in his place, slinking through the kitchen door.

He would have gone too if Toki hadn't grabbed hold of the metal in his jacket and pulled, keeping him (and Nyanmaru between them) tethered to the couch. He shot a look over at his friend, but all he got was a sharp, sidelong look. Ok, then. Apparently, he wasn't going anywhere.

Hoping to diffuse the tension, Toki tried to start up a conversation with Mystery Ladymaru. It wasn't going very well. "So, should I call you Aunt, then?"

"No."

"Why not? You _are_ my aunt, right?"

"We are _not_ having this conversation right now."

Yuuki tried to get Ogami's attention, but he was paying very careful attention to the world outside the living room window. Yuuki suspected he was more interested in the reflection, however, especially if his odd angle allowed him to watch Nyanmaru. His suspicion was confirmed when he noticed Nyanmaru wasn't staring at Ogami, but at the window as well.

"That's no way to treat your favorite nephew, Aunt."

"There is nothing but blood between us. Do not treat me with such detestable familiarity."

Shibuya and Kouji shared a glance before the former slung an arm around the tetchy woman. "Now, now Maka. Toki's just being friendly! Don't be so grouchy, the boy is family, after all…"

"Don't even start with me, Shibuya."

Next to him, Nyanmaru raised one hand clenching it as if she were stretching it. Yet her gaze never wavered, and Yuuki knew Ogami and his long lost love were staring at each other through the reflection. Two of her fingers twitched, and her eyes cut to the stairwell. After a long moment, Ogami's eyes closed. Whether in confirmation or in resignation Yuuki couldn't tell.

"Enough of this silliness! When will you begin training the young ones? They've seen enough, surely!"

Kouji dragged his eyes from the kitchen door. "Be patient a little while longer, Maka. There's no point until they've seen a little more of what they'll be up against. Don't let them get to you."

Toki leaned forward, his insatiable curiosity getting the better of him. "So why don't you just show us then? Quit all this backstory and show us the main event!"

"_Excuse me, Yuuki. I have to use the bathroom." _Nyanmaru whispered as she stood. Yuuki glanced over at Nisemaru, but the rare kind didn't seem to be worried. So he let her through, but couldn't help but notice how Ogami's eyes dropped from the window the moment she stood. Yuuki could hear how quickly Nyanmaru's heart was beating as she exited the room, and he knew without question that in a moment or two, Ogami would be getting up after her.

"If our only enemy was Asura, then we would. It's not that simple-" Shibuya was cut off by the kitchen door opening, but it was only Karin that came through. She was surprisingly unbruised and unbloodied. "How did it go?"

Karin ignored him, making her way over to her cousin. "You're an idiot, Kouji. Seriously. A complete and utter idiot."

His eyebrows rose. "What did I do _now?"_

Shibuya cackled delightedly. "Oh? So the oh-so-perfect Lord Kouji did something _wrong? _Oh, my. That I have lived to see the day!" He winked over at Toki on the couch. "Live and learn, young ones. Even your elders are imperfect beings."

"Oh, just _shut up_ Takehiro…"

In all the excitement, no one but Yuuki noticed Ogami slink away up the stairs, ostensibly following Nyanmaru. Yuuki thought about leaving them alone for about two seconds, but then Shibuya glanced at him, and then the stairwell. Ah well. Their reunion had to be more exciting than Kouji's awkward, non-existent love life… Without a word to anyone, Yuuki calmly walked after his two friends, ignoring the lively battle that was threatening to spill over into the kitchen. He knew how to move quickly and silently, and although his adult frame was hard to hide, he made do, crouching at the top of the steps and peering back over his shoulder to witness the reunion.

Nyanmaru stood with her back to Heike's door. "Thank you for coming, Ogami. I know that you didn't want to, but I think it is imperative that we discuss something." She took a deep breath, and Yuuki wondered at her calm. "Why are you still avoiding me?"

Although his back was to him, Yuuki knew exactly what Ogami's face looked like, and how ineffective it would be. Nyanmaru had been able to see through his 'noh mask' since the very beginning, and it wouldn't help him at all now. "I am merely keeping to our agreement. It is detrimental for both of us to interact. After this, I will keep my distance, as will you. I thought it only fair to…" His voice hitched, and Yuuki could hear his heart stutter in his chest. "...answer your summons. Just this once."

Nyanmaru's voice rose earnestly, just as it had six years ago. Out of all of them, Yuuki thought she was the most unchanged. "Ogami, we don't know how long this story and the training will take! Of course we'll have to interact. It...it doesn't have to be like before, but at least we could be- be friendly." Ogami's shoulders tensed, and Yuuki suspected it was to hold them back from taking her into his arms. Although Nyanmaru tried so hard to uphold a brave front, even Ogami had to be able to hear the pain in her voice. "Besides, what difference is there between interacting with me and watching over me? I _know_ you do it. I can _feel_ you. So why are you allowed to watch over me, and I can't...I can't see _you?"_

"Sakurakouji-san, that is part of my imposed duties, and it is not the same thing-"

She shook her head fiercely. "It's skirting the line, and you know it. And why _can't_ I see you? Even just a picture! I understand that we have to live in different worlds now, but doesn't watching over me break the rules?"

There was a long silence where she searched his face. What she found there Yuuki would never know, but he remembered Ogami's whispered confession, just before she sealed Pandora's Box forever - _I will struggle every day just to be connected to you. _Did Nyanmaru not understand his love for her, even now? Even after all he had done for her, and changed because of her?

When Ogami finally spoke, it was hushed and final, and made even Yuuki's heart lurch uncomfortably in his chest. "It _is_ different. When I watch over you, I can keep you safe. But if I was still a part of your life, there would be nothing I could do to protect you from myself."

Her heart skittered in her chest, and Yuuki could very nearly hear the tension between them, like the hum of something electric. "I'm a _rare kind_, Ogami. What exactly do you think you're going to do to me?" Nyanmaru's voice was soft yet impelling, and Yuuki felt his own skin heat in response. How would Ogami handle it, when he had loved no one but her in his entire life? "I'm stronger than you think, Ogami. I've gone six years without seeing you. I can handle the secrecy, the silence, the time spent apart. I just want to know you're safe. To know you're _alive."_

Settling against his side without warning was Nisemaru, who could still move as quickly and quietly as he. A warm hand clamped over his mouth, and with the other he held a finger to his lips. Yuuki nodded. Although Ogami wouldn't liked to be spied on by Nisemaru, Nyanmaru _was_ Nisemaru's daughter, and he knew he would be worried about her. He was also one of the only people alive who had gone through the exact same thing and suffered from the inevitable consequences.

"I'm not asking for a life with you, Ogami. I know...I know that is impossible. The negation from our blood alone proved that. But I think it is too much to completely cut yourself out of my life-"

Ogami thrust his arms at the wall, trapping her without warning. He loomed over her, closer to her than he had been in over six years. Their breaths became short and quick, and Yuuki wondered if he would hear it when Ogami's control snapped. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to see you like this? How much I want to-" He choked, glancing in the opposite direction of Yuuki and Shibuya. It was fortunate, as otherwise he might have seen the glaze of sorrow in Shibuya's eyes.

"Ogami-"

He turned back to her and exhaled slowly. "_No_. You may be strong enough, but I am not. If I allowed myself...I would not hold back. I _could_ not hold back. I can't be trusted with you, not when I still bear this cross."

Nyanmaru reached out for him, bringing her palms to his face. For a brief moment Ogami relaxed into her touch, and Nisemaru stiffened. Yet Ogami did not let the moment last, and he pulled back abruptly.

"I won't break our promise, Sakura. And...I won't let what happened with your parents happen with us." He pulled his hands back from the wall, letting his left hand trail slowly through her hair, lingering at the ends. He did not kiss the strands, although he wet his lips as he let go. "I will go first. Take your time."

"_Go."_ The whisper came Nisemaru, and was far too quiet to have been heard by anyone but him. Yuuki obeyed, but took one last look before he left - Nisemaru broke from cover, passing Ogami in the halls with nothing more than a glance, and a barely perceptible nod. Ogami did not return the gesture. He did not watch as Nisemaru pulled his daughter into his arms, pressing a kiss into the soft dark of her hair.

Then, Yuuki was gone, rushing outside and away from the heartbreak of the past and the present.

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**Who is playing Persona 3 right now and wrote in her two favorite bros? ME.**

** Who got all choked up writing the interaction between Sakura and Ogami and so started working on a sexy, non Code:Beginning compliant oneshot? ALSO ME. (Look for it next week.)**

**...**

** Next chapter teaser: Shibuya takes the stage, taboo powers are everywhere, and 3 of the 4 Founders ****converge**** (yes, including Code:Emperor).**


	6. Alliance of the Forbidden, Part I

**I do not own Code:Breaker**

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**Chapter 6****- ****Alliance ****of**** the Forbidden, Part I**

**I****n which ****blood is shed and secrets ****are**** revealed.**

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**Chapter notes: shoji doors – sliding doors (Japanese)**

** I am not sure how Japanese royalty works, but I am pretending that they have some sort of lady-in waiting equivalent. If not, oh well.**

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_**1898**_

Takehiro is, for the most part, a very kind, giving man. He has lived his entire life for his home and his people, throwing away all his personal aspirations to protect them. He has trained extensively, forcing his body past his limit time and time again simply to become strong enough to do keep his people safe. Even so, he is at heart an easy-going man who takes delight in simple things - a well-brewed cup of tea, the rhythm of the rain, making someone laugh.

Yet there are three things he hates, and now he has them in abundance - he hates the kingdom, hates the army, yet most of all he hates power users. They have held power over Takama ga hara for centuries, pushing those without special talent to the wall. They had made life worthless for those even further removed - and if he were ever discovered, he would have to kill himself before he gave up the location and existence of the enclave of his people.

Yet he was not a man for whom hatred came easily, and found exceptions where he could. Fujiwara Hideyoshi had long ago garnered his loyalty from a chance encounter in the forest. Thanks to him, he was able to exercise his abilities and test himself beyond the scope of his home. There was also pride in fighting well for him. Now, the girl was another - although a power user, she was just as powerless as he, and even less liked throughout the army. She was a good reminder that life could be far more difficult than it already is. If he had been born a woman, he would have been unable to do even this much...

She was far too close to discovering his secret, however. She had very nearly done so the night he had tested her, wanting to see if she was worth all the fuss. Now he had to make a decision. Kill her, and make it look like an accident? Or trust her as he had Hideyoshi, and if the worst came to pass, hope no one believed a foreign woman? He didn't have much time. Fujiwara had petitioned the king for her cousin's services, and this was the last chance to take care of things. Now that he knew how a wind user could sense him, he could better hide his true ability from this Kouji fellow - but it didn't answer the question of what to do with Red.

Takehiro's smile dimmed. It didn't help that he'd nicknamed the chit. She was a person to him now, and they did fight rather well together. She seemed like a nice enough girl, and Hideyoshi was clearly torn between making something of her, and protecting her. Yet Takehiro wasn't just responsible for his own life; the security of all those in the enclave rested on his shoulders as well…

"Shibuya!"

Speak of the devil…he adopted his fake smile just in time, as Karin came bounding around the corner of the sparring ring. The smirk became slightly more natural when he saw her eyebrows crinkle in annoyance. "Don't make that face. The field marshal was looking for you. We've got another scouting mission tonight." She glanced around and dropped her voice, necessitating the need for Takehiro to lean in close. "If you ask me, he's sending us on a fool's errand. Perhaps you can guess as to why he wants us out of the camp tonight." She grimaced in distaste. "I'm just going to pretend like I have no idea what's going on. Although I wonder why Fujiwara was so adamant that you had to come with me..."

Takehiro's grin was strained, but it held. The special forces team had rescued a traveling caravan the other day, and in it was a surprising find - the luscious Madame Tsuki and a bevy of her young charges, all currently being trained in the arts of a power geisha. These were women (and unless he missed his guess, one man, as well) whose power was to beguile; whether it be a secretion of an alluring scent, to the ability to shift one's features, to the ability to spark pleasure along one's skin. To express her gratitude, Madame Tsuki had promised the special power users their services for one evening. The field marshal had not been pleased, yet was eventually worn down by the elite corps. His one stipulation was that no one was to approach him, and the two he sent out on a night scout.

"He obviously knows we're in love, Red. He's giving us a lovely night alone, while the rest of the camp-"

Her aim was good, and her jab to the solar plexus cut him off before he could finish. "Don't be crude, Shibuya. Also we are not in love. But why was...well, why was the field marshal so angry when Madame Tsuki offered to see to him personally?"

Takehiro's eyebrows shot up. So she had known about the salacious offer? Red was blushing slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the subject of sex. Perhaps she was a virgin? He was uninterested, but it was always good to have something on those who could one day move against him. Besides, it warmed his heart to tease her so.

"And yes I know what she was offering. Don't try to fob me off like that."

Well, someone was getting rather used to him. And yet she had only hit him once today, and seemed to be expecting an honest response. Interesting. On this, however, he had no reason to skirt the truth. "Our illustrious Fujiwara is an honest man, Red. He takes being the head of his family seriously, and honors his wife and children. To him, it would be an insult to accept Madame Tsuki's offer, even though she only meant to offer gratitude to he and his men."

Karin nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And his views on women keep me from...partaking, I can see that." She cocked her head to this side. "But why you? Is it because we are friends?"

Takehiro's glib response stuck in his throat. There was nothing but curiosity in her expression - no hidden agendas, no wariness, no awareness that anything between them was false in any way. She truly thought him her friend? By the gods, killing her now would be very difficult indeed. "You don't like the lovers theory? Well then. Perhaps I am more similar to the field marshal than you think. Or perhaps I am just very picky." _Or perhaps I cannot touch another power user without them realizing I am anathema to them. It's a good thing I actually am picky…_

"Or maybe your face is too frightening even for them. I could very easily see this being the case."

Takehiro nearly flicked her forehead before he realized it was a bad idea. _No physical contact, no physical contact, no physical contact… "_Run, Red. I'll give you a head start. If I beat you to Fujiwara's tent, I will make you take last watch."

She took him at his threat. She raced away, almost before Takehiro had finished speaking. Tonight, he decided, as he watched her take off across the camp. Tonight will decide her fate.

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Back at the palace, a very different resolve was being undertaken by a very different person. Sakurakouji Sakurako stood outside the shoji doors of the queen's chambers, busily twisting the fabric of her western-style dress between her fingers. She was nervous, yet decided. If the queen didn't allow Zed to stay with her they would be away by first light, making their way to the harbor. They wouldn't have much time to board a ship, so she assumed, with the confidence of a young, powerful, teenager, that they could simply steal one. After all, there was no one who could stand up to her and Zed when they fought together, even if she didn't use her ability. All the secret training with her father's weapons master would finally pay off.

Yet first she would try to win over the queen. Although there was a large part of her that thought the adventure would be great fun, she loved her parents very much and knew she would miss them terribly. So she would attempt to be charming, even though she disliked being so. She would smile at the queen, and pretend to be sweet and biddable. If it meant her best friend could stay with her, she would do just about anything.

The doors slid open from inside, and she took one last, steeling breath before walking through them. This was no western chamber; this wing of the palace was modeled in a japanese style. The queen sat on the floor, legs tucked demurely under her, a tea set in front of her. Sakurako bit back a gulp. She was terrible at sitting properly, especially in this dress. She was even worse at the tea ceremony...yet she thought of Zed, and tipped her chin up. For both their sakes, she would not fail.

The queen looked up and smiled welcomingly, and Sakurako felt her skin prickle. They were not five minutes in and the queen was already using her ability on her? It was a thankful thing that she now had some control over her ability. If this had happened a year ago, she would have released her power regardless, unable to keep from rising to the perceived challenge. Instead, Sakurako curtsied politely, like her mother had taught her. She sank to the floor, dropping her eyes momentarily to the tea set, hoping the queen would not ask her to pour.

"You're an odd girl, aren't you? Wary of a tea set?" The queen said it smilingly, to show she meant no offense. Yet to her mind, there was none to take. Sakurako prided herself on her strength and speed, and would have switched genders in a heartbeat. What pride was there in being a woman if her freedom and talents were curtailed?

"That's what I am often told. I'd rather do what I'm good at." _Like fighting, and telling people what to do._

The queen's smile held, yet something flickered in her expression. Rather than remark on Sakurako's bold statement, she reached across and delicately poured them both a cup of tea. Sakurako, who had done anything and everything to avoid domesticity, suspected it was jasmine, but could not be sure. She brought the cup to her lips and sipped in what she hoped was a polite manner. It was quiet enough, she thought.

Apparently the queen did not agree. "I see I will have my hands full with you, little cousin. As will the king with your training – I can see from your comportment all I must do to have you pass as a lady, yet even I can feel your how unstable your hold is on your power. As for the rest... look at me, Sakurako."

She was helpless to do anything else. The queen's power was not overwhelming, yet it was insidious, and now that she had been in her presence for only a few minutes it was impossible to ignore without a struggle. Yet if she struggled she would throw the game, so she looked the queen in the eye, and hoped she would approve of whatever she found there.

There was no sound from outside, no way to tell how long they sat there. Sakurako did not let her mind wander, as she was unsure of how the queen's power worked, and if it was the mind she could read, or the heart. So she sat and thought of the katas she had been taught, running through the motions in her mind. She waited until the queen leaned back, closing her eyes as if in deep thought. Only then did she allow herself to think about Zed, who was waiting below in the kitchens. _Please_, she prayed. _Please don't send him away. _He was the only friend she had ever had in all her 14 years. She was _not_ willing to let him go now.

Finally, the queen straightened and opened her eyes. She smiled widely. "I would be delighted if you were to stay with me, and be as my lady-in-waiting. There is much I and Matsuhiro can teach you."

Sakurako exhaled slowly. So far so good...but what about Zed?

"In terms of the tenuous hold on your power, my father has sent along one final batch of restriction items. I'm sure we can find something among them to suit you. Of course, you wouldn't have to wear it while training, and once you have a better hold on your ability, you could probably give it up entirely. I'm sure such an arrangement would relieve your parents considerably – they are very worried about you, Sakurako."

Sakurako's blood ran cold. There had been no need for restrictive items when she was with Zed...did this reflect on her friend's fate? Her heart moved before her mind could hold it back. "Does that mean...but what about Zed? My lady." She hastily amended, too nervous to dip her eyes as she should have. "Is he allowed to stay? Or will he be sent back home to my parents?"

A mask of calm settled over the queen's face, and Sakurako knew she had been caught out. Sending Zed home had never been an option, as without her there was nothing to combat his own powers. She was unsure of how the restrictive devices would work on him, and at this point in time was unwilling to find out. Yet how the queen answered the question would ultimately decide their course of action.

"That decision is not up to me. The king will judge him, and if he's willing, train him."

Her mouth was dry, yet the words could not be stopped. "And if he is not?"

The queen bowed her head, setting her teacup back down on the table with a soft _clink. _"Taboo powers are such for a reason, Sakurako. It was a strange twist of fate that brought the two of you together, yet it could not have lasted forever. I see in your heart that he is a kind boy, and there is less harm in him, perhaps, than in you. I will tell my husband this. But I can make no promises." She reached forward and took Sakurako's cold hands within her own. "Do not be afraid. You will not be alone _here,_ my cousin."

Sakurako held her gaze with wide, glittering eyes. If Hikari had attempted to plumb the depths of her heart she would have found nothing but an inarticulate resolve. She did not respond until she ducked her head and pressed the queen's hand lightly. "I understand."

It was time to run.

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Five hours later, and Takehiro wondered at the efficacy of determination. Case in point Red's fate - he had decided only five minutes ago to spare her, and then his body went and failed him, leaving him five inches high and at her mercy.

"Sh- Shibuya? May...may I ask why you are suddenly very small and very naked?"

So far, she was taking this surprisingly well. "Would you believe me if I told you it was my lost form?"

Her face was a priceless mixture of confusion and embarrassment. It was also an exact match to Hideyoshi's face when he had discovered him in precisely the same way. "As you are not a power user, I would have to say no. Unless this is your power. To be small and naked upon occasion." Her embarrassment finally overcame her curiosity. "Oh for the love of - go find a leaf or something! My eyesight is bad but not _that_ bad!"

Well, maybe he _wouldn't_ let her live if she was going to be like that. He was perfectly proportioned, thank you very much! Exciting as that argument would undoubtedly be, however, he did as the lady asked and wrapped a small leaf around his midsection. It would have to do until he could crawl into his pocket and retrieve the set of doll's clothing he had sewed into the lining. He settled in the sleeve of his shirt, wrapping the cloth around his shoulders. The night _was_ cold, after all.

Karin waited until he was finished. "None of this frightens you...so I assume this has happened before? Is this a natural occurrence?" She bent a little so that she could better see her friend. "Will you stay like this for a full day? How on earth do you hide something like this? Or does this not happen very often?"

Takehiro had to speak quite loudly to cut through her stream of questions in his current state. "Calm down, Red! Yes, yes it's all fine. I wasn't really joking when I said it was my lost form, after all. And no, it won't take a full day, there's a trick to it. But I think we should have a little talk, first."

"You want to talk when you're small?" Her head fell to the side and she looked at him with open admiration. "You _are_ brave. You know there are snakes in the forest, right?"

The lady had a point. But he wouldn't be able to turn back until he had made the serum, and it was incredibly tricky to mix the blood and other ingredients in his 'lost' form. If he played his cards right, he'd get her to deliver him to Fujiwara's tent, where he had some serum already made. First things first, however. "It's not a matter of bravery. It is a matter of secrecy, though." He fixed her with a serious stare, something he had done only when they had fought the Carrier. "I need your word, Red. You tell no one, not even that cousin of yours - else I'll be forced to leave the army, if not be hunted down and killed." It was a gamble to tell her this way. Yet if she already considered him a friend, then perhaps it was the best way to do it. He'd only known her for a few months, but he'd bet she would react more strongly to the thought of his safety than to threats on her own life.

She hesitated, but only for a moment. "I won't tell Kouji, or anyone else - it's your secret to tell. But you should know that the queen is my older sister, and there's a slight chance she could someday look into my heart and see your secret."

Takehiro nodded. He had not forgotten about her connections, but he also had not known the extent of the queen's powers...or that she would use them against her sister.

"Yet if you are afraid, I think I can give you some protection. If she loves me at all, this should be enough to preserve your life. How about it, Shibuya? A secret for a secret?"

"I doubt you have a secret to match mine, Red. But thanks for trying."

She frowned, but didn't respond. Instead, she pulled a silver cuff from her left ear, placing it in a pouch on her belt. Then, she pulled out her bowie knife from it's sheath, laying the sharp tip against the base of her palm. She slowly dragged the blade against the flesh close to her thumb, drawing a line of blood in its wake. The cut was only two inches wide, but it would be enough. She set her knife down, extending the bleeding hand towards Takehiro.

"Watch."

She twisted her fingers on her uncut hand in a pulling motion, and a thin, crimson ribbon rose toward them. When it reached the other hand she flattened both palms, and her blood stretched like a bridge between them. She held it there for a long moment, until Takehiro turned his attention from the blood between her palms to her face.

"Blood manipulation. A demon's power. That's taboo, Red."

"I know."

"You'll be hunted and killed if you're discovered, no matter your skill with wind...or your connection to the queen."

She swallowed. "I know."

He grinned, breaking the solemnity of the moment. "Damn. I haven't even told you _my_ secret yet. What are you trying to do, upstage me?"

Her lips twitched in an answering smirk, and her relief was evident. She released the blood from her uninjured hand, and it slipped back down to the cut. When she pressed down on it, it appeared to soak back into the skin, and hardened into a scab immediately.

"That looks useful. Can you use it to heal?"

She grimaced. "A little. Just cuts and external injuries - although I can staunch bleeding wounds easily enough."

He eyed her cut thoughtfully. "Just on yourself? Or can you use it on others?"

She held his gaze, feeling a little silly in such a grave moment with a man five inches high. "Everyone but you. But that doesn't surprise me; not when I can't feel you to begin with."

Takehiro stretched his arms above his head and his leaf slipped. He laughed when Karin blushed. "A secret for a secret, huh?" He winked. "I guess it's time for the big reveal..."

He told most, but not all - as with Hideyoshi, he would not tell her of the enclave. So he told her of his own skills, his innate ability to negate the powers of others. He told her of the inhuman capabilities he had pushed his body to realize, in order to fool the power users and protect himself. Yet most of all he told her of the way he lived his life, and the discrimination against the 'rare kind,' a practice set in place centuries ago.

"They call a person like me a 'rare kind' because that is exactly what I am. No one knows how it happens, or why I was born this way. Yet in the past the power users hunted the rare kinds down to near extinction, and if my existence were to be discovered, I would face the same fate."

Karin reacted precisely as he thought she would. "That's...well, that's stupid! To judge someone on the basis of ability alone...I suppose I'm biased, but I don't understand. How can they fear someone like that in this day and age?"

"You're underestimating my power. I negate _all_ special abilities, without exception. I reduce power users to ordinary warriors, and even then I have trained my body to supernatural strength and speed. Perhaps it's a side-effect of the rare kinds, to be able to do so." He shrugged. "There are also tales of rare kinds who surpass even that - they became power vacuums, sucking the ability and even lives from those who stood against them. It was to combat that threat that rare kinds were killed off a long time ago. On one hand, I understand the danger they presented, especially in large numbers. On the other…"

"It's impossible to be impartial like that when your life is on the line, Shibuya. You have to protect yourself." Karin told him earnestly, tapping him lightly on the head. "Else I will be very, very angry."

"I'll keep that in mind, Red."

"So...you said there was a trick you could do? To turn back?" She smiled ruefully. "It's interesting that even rare kinds have lost forms...although its far more useful that you can turn back without waiting a full day."

"Ahh, well. About that - there's a serum I have to take...but it's hard to make when I'm this small. You're going to have to smuggle me into Hideyoshi's tent. I've got some ready made there."

"The field marshal's tent? But why…" She trailed off, narrowing her eyes as she pieced it together. "He knows? Ahh, so _that_'s why he sent you with me…"

Takehiro nodded, and snuggled down into his sleeve. "Hideyoshi knows. He's also sworn to keep the secret, so there's no worry there. All we have to do is get to his tent without the rest of the power users seeing us. Since Madame Tsuki has the rest of the men occupied, it shouldn't be difficult."

Karin stood, reaching down to pick up Takehiro's clothes. "All right. Here, I'll hold you in the sleeve-" just as he hopped into her palm (leaf still securely fastened around his middle) she froze. "Wait. Yes it will _too_ be difficult. I'm a woman! I can't just waltz up to the field marshal's tent this early in the morning! Especially when he's already told everyone to stay away from him tonight." Even in the darkness Takehiro could see her blush. "Besides, he's probably asleep. This whole thing is too improper!"

Damn the woman and her infernal modesty! "Red, we don't have a lot of options. We can sneak in there and get the serum, or we can wait until morning, when you'll either have to explain where I've gone, or show them how small I've become. This is our best bet. And if he is sleeping, then it makes our job even easier - he'll never even know we were there!"

She winced. "I do not think this will end well, Shibuya."

"Trust me. It's going to go perfectly."

…

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…

…

…

**Originally this was the chapter where Code:Emperor was going to be introduced, but ****due to internal issues I had to cut the original chapter in half. ****I wanted to keep all chapters below 6K, and although I failed on chapter 5 I will strive to keep them manageable in the future!**

** Regardless, Code:Emperor's debut is in the next update****, which ****could easily be up before next Sunday (bonus!)**

**R & R!**


	7. Alliance of the Forbidden, Part II

**I do not own Code:Breaker.**

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**Chapter 7: Alliance of the Forbidden, Part II**

**In which modesty is compromised and the 3 of the Founders come together.**

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**I have begun diverging wildly from my original outline. I'm going to try and keep it together, but there were some things that are still up in the air. Largest of these is this: is Karin going to live or die? Kind of a big thing, at this point. Which would you prefer?**

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**1898**

It took an unexpectedly small amount of time to implement their escape plan. Especially as it took Sakurako bare minutes to remove herself from the queen's ladies. She merely put on a little display: the doors opened and shut wildly, and the windows began singing in a discordant tangle. It was enough to send the ladies that attended her running, and then Sakurako was racing down the halls, chasing a thin thread of Zed's power to where her friend waited. It was one of the first techniques they had perfected, so that they could always find each other if they felt their hold on their power slipping...or if either of them entered their lost forms.

He was loitering around the stables when she found him, murmuring nonsense to the horses, who, sensing his ability, shied away from him. It was a long standing disappointment to him that animals feared him. People, he could understand.

"_Zed!"_ Sakurako whispered, in case the king already had people looking for him. She was lucky enough that her friend hadn't already been summoned. "_Over here-"_

He turned, shaggy hairs whipping over his shoulder. Even after months of practice he was still no good at braiding, preferring to tie back his light hair in a knot at the back of his neck. Privately, Sakurako thought it made him look roguish. He smiled when his eyes lit on Sakurako, yet it was quick to die when he noticed her expression. "It...didn't go well, then?"

She bustled over to him, taking in his long, skinny frame, and the nervous determination on his face. "No. Do you have our things? We have to get out of here."

"Did they not accept you? I can't believe-"

Sakurako stamped her foot, panic overriding her sense. "There's no _time,_ Zed! The king is going to meet with you, and the queen has no say. She all but admitted he's going to kill you. We have to _go." _She gripped his fingers, wincing at his paper-thin skin, and how the bones seemed to jut right through it. "We'll find someplace better, where you don't have to hide. I promise Zed. _I promise."_

He nodded, and returned her grip for just a moment, surprising her with his strength. "I get it, Rako. Let's go." He released her grip to bend and retrieve her 'borrowed' katana and their bags, slinging the heavier one over his shoulder. It was hers, but neither mentioned it – such was the dynamic of their friendship, and something that was unlikely to change.

They stole off down the rows, grateful for the scarcity of the horses. Another of Sakurako's cousins had recently left for the field marshal's encampment, and had taken a large retinue of cavalry members with him. Had there been more animals for Zed to inadvertently spook, they might have been caught.

Now it all came down to how accurate her father had been: Sakurako had wheedled information about the palace from him, and knew that the stables connected to marketplace. From there they could make their way out the servant's entrance. It was not entirely deserted, but it was their best option. Initially she had wanted to escape in a blaze of glory, attacking the guards and elite alike as they made their way to freedom, but Zed had put his foot down. He hated hurting people, almost as much as he hated using his power. No matter how often Sakurako tried to make him understand that power was freedom, he was always the voice that held her back when her blood started to boil. Perhaps it was why they meant so much to each other, even beyond their innate ability to negate the other's power.

With his height and his hair color, sneaking was hard for Zed. They had packed a cowl they had stolen from the christian monk who had passed through her father's lands, yet that was nearly as outlandish. It there had been time, they could have found another for her, or even a full set of robes. She suspected they would be easier to move in than this horrific dress. Still, it was something, and so she pulled him down, draped the cowl over his head, and ran through the doors at the end of the stable into the sunlight...

...where they were promptly discovered. "Lady Shihoin? What are you doing outside of the palace?" The slow-witted servant took another moment to ponder, eyes shifting from the lady to her friend.

Sakurako didn't wait for realization to dawn. She unsheathed her katana in one fluid movement, and brought down the handle on the back of his head. Her aim was good and the man slumped to the ground, unconscious. She ignored Zed's gentle smile, and looked away as she sheathed her blade. "It would simply take too long to wipe off the blood." _Stupid Zed, with his stupid pacifism..._

"I'm sure."

Thankfully for Sakurako's embarrassment there was no time for further debate. They took off towards the exit, Sakurako struggling to keep up with Zed's long strides. There were others that saw them and called out, but the market was just beginning its afternoon rush and they were able to shake off any pursuers. They pushed their way through the servants and craftsmen until Sakurako's dress was caught on a loose nail from the back of an artisan's stall. Without a moment's hesitation she cut herself free, bemoaning the ignoble use of her blade rather than the destruction of her dress. If anything, it was far easier to move now, and that was something to relish.

They tumbled through the door in a heaving rush, slamming it behind them. They looked around for something to block it, just to buy them some more time. Zed had just pointed towards a large rock that Sakurako could animate and persuade to move when a voice at her left interrupted them.

"Well, aren't you youngsters in a hurry. Running away, are we?"

The teens whipped around, instinctively falling into defensive positions at the wall of power that washed over them. In all their young lives they had never faced anyone like this - power radiated from the man like a forest fire, burning the air in front of them and bringing moisture to their eyes. The very air around him seemed to spark, and brash as she was, Sakurako could easily determine this man was twice her strength, if not more so. Curiously enough the thought did not cow her - it made her body sing with excitement. It was this that gave her the courage to respond so brazenly. "If it's all the same to you, sir, we'd rather not respond." She flicked her wrist, spinning her blade. "Is that going to be a problem?"

True to form, Zed had other ideas. "No, Rako! We have to run - we can't stay here!" He glanced back at the door, shimmering through the haze of his hastily erected barrier. "They'll be through any moment!"

"Well, we can't have that, now can we? Not when I've found something so interesting…" Their obstructer rubbed his chin, hand bristling over the stubble. Dark, sharp eyes focused on them, and Sakurako felt as if their worth had been measured and found wanting. Yet then his lips curved in a lopsided grin, and the danger they had reacted to increased. In response, Sakurako ducked her head and tried to calm her heart, which was pounding an irregular rhythm in her chest. _He blocks our path to freedom_, she told herself. _And this is the greatest challenge I could have asked for…_

Beside her, Zed let out a cry. Yet it was not from any physical injury - the shadowy barrier had been burned away and replaced with a wall of blue flame. It flickered like a sapphire in sunlight, yet even from where she stood she could feel its heat.

"Rako, be careful. It's not normal fire. And there's something familiar about it…" Zed was cut off by the stranger's opening salvo - a sheet of flame shot between them, leaving them barely enough time to leap back.

"Worry about that later, kid. Right now, your opponent is me."

Sakurako grinned as she dodged. "Let's show him what we can do, Zed!" She ducked a whip of flame that came close to searing off the top of her skull. She parried another with her blade, grunting under the impact. Yet it was not for this purpose that she had honed her martial skills - she would leave her blade for a more fitting opponent. So she focused on the spark of life humming within her breast, imagining it as light that could extend to her fingertips. Once done, her fingers began glowing with a blinding white light, and she had to drop her katana to avoid infusing it with life energy.

Now she could fight as he did, power to power. It was just in time- he sent another whip of flame straight at her chest while the previous two honed in on either side. Her skill with the katana was not enough to defend from all three, yet with her ability she could. She simply grabbed the flame rushing towards her chest, pulling herself forward so that the whips behind her crashed into each other. The power coursing through her hands protected her from being harmed; without it she would have been burned alive. Her escape was narrow enough for her to feel the effects of the heat, however. As it was, the air filled with the scent of scorched hair.

Yet now she was within range. She dodged the backlash of the whips, concentrating on forming a protective helm around her head from her power. She couldn't encase her body completely, yet, but this would have to be enough. Light sparked between her palms, and with one hand fending off the persistent flame, the other raised in her first offensive attack.

While Sakurako was battling off the effects of one hand, Zed was dealing with the other. Their opponent possessed an enviable skill in facing the both of them with no difficulty, fighting two separate battles at the same time. Towards Zed he sent walls of flame, which Zed could only deflect by immersing himself in his own dark power. Using his ability such was dangerous, as it lead to his lost form more quickly than any other technique. Although he was obviously reluctant to fight, he was left with no other choice. Going into his lost form now could be catastrophically bad, seeing as Sakurako was currently fighting for her own life… Having found his resolve, he too charged at their enemy, closing in on him at precisely the same moment Sakurako lifted her arm to strike.

Their efforts were in vain. The stranger lifted his arms, and both teens found themselves hurtling backwards. Sakurako groaned as she propped herself up on her elbows, glancing over at Zed as she did.

What she saw made her swear. "Fuck! Zed, no!"

Darkness was converging upon him, and his papery skin was already melting away. Although his face was still recognizable, his eyes had sunken in, and several of his fingers were now more bone than flesh. Unlike most other power users, Zed's descent into his lost form was a slow transition, and they had found his power was magnified during these times. Yet the inevitable loss of his powers - leaving him as a corpse for 24 hours - was too high a price to pay when they were on the run. Especially if they were chased by someone who could shrug them off as easily as man could a fly!

Their opponent sighed dramatically. He held back his attack and Sakurako's blood boiled at the mockery in his tone. "Lost form already? That's no fun…"

Without taking his failing eyes from the fire adept, Zed whispered out of the side of his mouth, just loud enough for his friend to hear. _ "Run, Sakurako. I'll hold him off._"

Did he really think she would simply leave him here? He always picked the worst time to be heroic…! Deciding that pain - or even death - was preferable to losing her friend through his own misguided sense of valor, she turned her back to the stranger. She fell to her knees and threw her arms around Zed.

"Rako, no!"

"Ehh? There's no time for love in battle, little girl-"

Sakurako ignored all this. She focused every ounce of her concentration on the life energy that pulsed within her. Imagining it as lighting a candle, she willed the energy out of her body and into Zed's. This had never worked before. Zed's power always offset hers, for good or for bad. Yet they had never tried this when he was fading into his lost form, and never with their lives on the line. If ever she was to be successful, it had to be here and now, otherwise it wasn't just her life. It was _his._

The candle's light flickered in her mind, and she groaned in an effort to keep it alight. She had to work harder…! Zed was more than halfway to his lost form, and she could feel the brittle skin against her cheek slowly knit into the bone. At this rate, if she couldn't do it…

_No! I will not lose!_ Desperation fueling her resolve, she did something so unexpected that it surprised even herself. Perhaps their enemy's taunt about love filtered through her consciousness, or more likely still she remembered her mother who often claimed that life began with a kiss. Whatever the reason, Sakurako turned her head and pressed her lips up against Zed's cheekbone, and with this action her power flared. Her mental candle became a bonfire, and for a brief moment she could feel not only the life within her, but in the world around her, as well. Yet the sensory overload was too much, and she fell forward onto Zed's lap, registering dimly that it wasn't hard bone she fell onto, but warm flesh.

For moment she drifted in that grey, halfway state at the doorstep of unconsciousness, but the sound of slow applause dragged her back to waking. Zed's body tensed underneath her and she felt his skinny arms wrap around her, trying to protect her. "Stay back! I'll kill you!"

Even though she wasn't facing him, she could hear the delight in the stranger's laughter. "You can certainly try! But we'll leave that for another time. I've seen enough for now." He laughed again when Zed still didn't let go of her. "Enough, boy! I'm not going to hurt either of you. Flames of Perdition, I'm not about to kill off this kind of talent when it's taken me this long to find!"

That caught Sakurako's attention, even though she was suffering from an uncomfortable mixture of vertigo and fatigue. Overusing her power left her mind spinning, and it was difficult even to walk after a surge. Yet she could feel Zed tremble, and it was up to her to take charge. She twisted around so that she could face their attacker. "You- you're not? Even though his power is what it is?"

Oddly enough, the man was still smiling. It was a great, jagged grin that seemed to take up half his face, and exuded recklessness. "Like I give a shit what the kids power is! The kid's got potential, and so do you. Life's too boring to worry about stupid things like death. So I'll train you a bit, and then we'll see if you guys can take me on for real. What do you say?"

Zed sputtered above her. "But...but the king...I mean, we're running away for a reason-"

The stranger shrugged. "Leave the king to me. Old man owes me, anyway."

Sakurako could practically _feel _Zed goggle. "Owes you? How-what..._old man?"_ He looked around nervously, as if this, of all that just transpired, was enough to damn them. "You _know_ the king?"

"Wouldn't say it if I didn't." He rolled his shoulders, and then cracked his neck. "Anyway. Name's Kyo. Although I'd be fine if you wanted to tack a title onto that- master, king, emperor...heh, kinda' like that last one..."

Sakurako sat up so quickly she nearly fell over again. "Kyo- but that's- that's the name of the king's..." She choked at his glower, and remembered the rumors of the king's dangerous, illegitimate son. She should have realized it soon as the blue flame had burst from his fingertips - only a chosen few from the line of kings could command the flames of hell. To be able to wield his father's power, Kyo must be even stronger than rumor had it.

"Like I said, I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. So? You gonna' train with me or not?"

If he was the king's son, he'd likely have the personal and political power to protect Zed - he could take him on as an attendant, and the majority of the palace would be none the wiser. Of course, the king was a different story. "You swear you can protect him? Even if your father orders his death?"

"Did you not just listen to how I said he owes me? And he owes me big, little lady. Marrying that wallflower half his age, and then having the gall to say any child with her would be the heir? I'd like to see him try - none of his kids will have the right flame, and he knows it. So he's gotta' keep me happy, else the kingdom will fall. Kid's safe, girlie. Don't worry about it."

Sakurako glanced at Zed, just to confirm what she already knew. "Then we accept. With thanks."

Kyo smiled, and it was the smile of the devil. "Oh no, little lady. Thank _you."_

…

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…

...

Shibuya's plan did _not _go perfectly.

It wasn't difficult to find a way past the distracted guards outside Fujiwara's tent, although Karin had suspected it might. Shibuya snuck past the guards in order to undo the ties holding the door closed. After that, it was simply a matter of using the wind to mask the sound of her movements, and using the ambiance of the world around her. She was particularly helped by a timely, masculine moan coming from the closest tent which drew the attention of both guards. One took a few steps towards his friend, muttering something suggestive about someone named Junpei, and that was all the opening Karin needed to duck into the field marshal's tent. It was then that they ran into the first of the great troubles when they discovered that the field marshal slept half naked.

Shibuya gripped Karin's thumb in alarm when she spun away from the sleeping man, making a quiet, yet distinctively surprised noise. If he hadn't, he would have been flung across the room. Yet there was no way to reprimand her now – he'd lay into her about her maiden bashfulness later, now was the time to get the serum. So squeezed the tip of her thumb, hoping she would get the message.

Without turning around, she glanced down at him and pointed around the room. _Where?_ She mouthed, eyes never turning to the man on the bed. Shibuya inwardly scoffed. If this was her first time seeing a man shirtless, she had a lot to live for. He pointed to the ground, knowing she wouldn't like where he had stashed the serum – in a satchel under the bed.

Once on the floor, he scurried beneath the bed, pausing only once when Hideyoshi turned over in his sleep. A quick glance back at Red confirmed that she had heard it – her shoulders were up by her ears, and even in the dim light he imagined he could see the tips of her ears burning. Yet then he was under the bed, wishing that the tent's thin walls let in a little more light. It would be an ordeal trying to find the satchel in the dark.

"..._ocean-"_

Takehiro and Karin froze. The voice, although indistinct, was undoubtedly Hideyoshi's. When nothing else followed they both relaxed. Who knew the field marshal dreamt of oceans? If that had been all, they might have continued on and completed their mission successfully. Unfortunately, a disgruntled mouse took fate into its paws: the rare kind had stumbled into its cache of food, and with a furious squeak it attacked the intruder. Takehiro, man among men, demon killer, and scourge of all power users everywhere, squeaked like a little girl.

"Yeep!"

The field marshal awoke immediately, rolling to the side before calling upon his power to twist the metal knobs on the lamps. Karin, not knowing why or how Takehiro could even _make_ such a sound, dropped into a defensive position. As soon as the lights flicked on they froze, staring at each other with identical shocked expressions. Beneath the bed, Takehiro winced guiltily as he flung the mouse away from him. He doubted that Red would ever let him hear the end of this.

The field marshal regained his composure first, although he blinked hard as if to clear his mind of dreams. "Kar-Shihoin. What is the meaning of this?"

By now it was obvious that there was no real threat and Takehiro suspected that Red was thinking very dark thoughts about his imminent demise. "I...I humbly apologize, Field Marshal. It was...there was..." She was obviously trying to find a reason that did not implicate her friend. He suspected she would have had a better time of it had Hideyoshi been wearing a shirt. As it was, she couldn't even bow before continuing. "We scouted the area, but there was no danger. But then-"

There was something more than simple sleep-deprivation in the grating tone to the field marshal's voice. "And so you make your report in the middle of night, _alone_, in my tent?" He did not have to verbally express his disapproval, it was evident in the hunch of his shoulders and the dripping sarcasm in his tone.

Yet Takehiro had just stumbled against the satchel, and it was the work of a moment to extract the serum within it. Now to pop the cork without spilling a drop...

"No, not a report, and maybe not alone either..."

"Make sense, girl!"

Karin reached her boiling point the same moment Takehiro dislodged the cork from the bottle. "_I would if you would put on some clothes, sir!"_

Takehiro dipped his finger in the serum and felt the effects immediately. Fujiwara's response was lost when the bed tilted upward, nearly spilling him to the floor. Full-sized, Takehiro grinned. "Ahaaa...Sorry, Hideyoshi. I went small when we were out on patrol, and I thought it would be faster to use the serum I'd already made. Don't worry, neither of us did anything strange to you when you were asleep. And Red – you are _awful_ at this. Leave the wiles to someone more capable, hmm?"

Her face was crimson, and he wondered if she couldn't learn to direct the flow of blood within her own body. It would spare her the blushes, at least. "You- I..._What did I tell you about being naked?"_

_ "_You're going to have trouble finding leaves big enough for me _now.__"_

She nearly shrieked in indignation, but she caught herself and brought it back down to a whisper. She shut her eyes tightly, and pointed with perfect accuracy at her friend. "_Put. On. Pants!"_

Shibuya huffed and placed his hand on his hips. "Well. I don't remember you being so upset about it when I was small." He smirked. "I suppose I _am_ more impressive at my normal proportion-"

_"Takehiro." _There was more danger now in the field marshal's clipped tones than in his entire interaction with Red. "Do as the lady requests."

Knowing his time for fun was over, he acquiesced easily. "Yes, sir." Takehiro gestured to the bundle at Karin's feet, and she kicked it towards him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Hideyoshi leaning over and belatedly procuring a shirt of his own.

"I will be upset about this in the morning. Consider yourselves officially reprimanded, in the meantime." The field general stood and cracked his neck. When he looked away, Takehiro winked at Karin, whose cheeks still bore faint traces of a blush. A suspicion took root, deep in the back of his mind, but it was still too early to confirm.

"We're sorry, Field Marshal. It won't happen again." Red spoke confidently, and Takehiro cocked his eyebrow. It wouldn't? That was news to him… "From now on we can keep some of the serum in my tent, and that way we can access it in case of emergencies. Then we wouldn't-"

"Absolutely not." Fujiwara's firm dismissal stopped him before he could agree. The field marshal folded his hands across his chest. "While such a suggestion may seem practical, it is improper. He will simply have to be more _careful_ in the future."

The denial was expected, but the vehemence was not. "Hideyoshi, you know I can't control when it happens. And you also know I would never do anything untoward to her! Trusting her with who I am should be proof enough of that." He waited for Fujiwara's stiff nod before continuing. "There would be nothing improper about this. This would be only for those times when coming to you isn't feasible."

"It's not like anyone would see him, either. He'd only need it when he's small, and he'd be easy enough to hide."

"Precisely! I could even ride in her pocket, unless that's too close to her womanly hips."

"_Takehiro-"_

"My hips aren't _womanly_…" Karin caught herself. "I mean...and this way I wouldn't have to commit the impropriety of barging into your tent at all hours, Field Marshal. Isn't this a better alternative?"

She tilted her head to the side, and Takehiro swallowed back a snicker. If _he_ hadn't been able to convince Hideyoshi, there was no way Red was. The two men had been, if not _quite_ friends, trusted associates of each other for several years now. She didn't stand a chance-

"Perhaps...perhaps you are correct. I don't like it, but…" Fujiwara turned to glare at the rare kind. "If I hear a _whisper_ of anything scandalous, I will hang you both out to dry like laundry. I can turn a blind eye towards the indiscretions of the others, but not you two. There's too many eyes on you both as it is. Do you understand me?"

They both nodded. Both had their own reasons for staying aloof and out of the camp gossip. Rumors of romance would only bring them under suspicion, and leave their secrets closer to discovery.

"And before I forget. Lord Shihoin arrived at the camp a few hours ago. I normally would have you wait until morning, but seeing as how you've already established a habit of barging into men's tents…" Fujiwara trailed off, biting back a small smile of his own at Karin's transparent happiness. "You might as well go wake _him_ up, this time. Ah, but first-" The field marshal strode past them to the opening of the tent. It was the work of a moment to open the flaps and step out into the pre-dawn chill.

Takehiro and Karin exchanged a puzzled glance, but their confusion ended when strains of Fujiwara's conversation drifted in through the tarp. "...expect you to _guard, _not daydream...scouts returned...go and look!"

Karin smiled sheepishly at the amazed men when they poked their heads in to see, but Takehiro was far more brazen - he turned to the side and patted his rear end in a mockery of a parent's punishment. Thankfully the men withdrew immediately, red faced and sputtering. This way they didn't see the scouts' delighted grins.

Fujiwara re-entered the tent a moment later, nodding to Karin. "Go on, Shihoin. He's in a lone tent, on the east grid-"

"I can find him. Thank you, Field Marshal!" She bobbed up and down, bowing as quickly as if she were a rare kind herself. With one last smile directed towards both men, she hustled out of the tent.

Takehiro pouted. "Why does she get to be alone in her cousin's tent, huh? If it's such an _impropriety_ for me to be in hers?"

Fujiwara fixed him with a quelling stare. "Don't be silly, Takehiro. They've lived together for years, and traveled alone for months without scandal. Besides, he's her legal guardian, and Kouji's honor is beyond question. Unlike yours."

"You're lucky I'm such a forgiving man, Hideyoshi. A lesser mortal might take offense."

"Indeed." The field marshal yawned. "So you've told one Shihoin. Will you tell the other?"

Takehiro dropped his playfulness so quickly it was as if it had never existed. "Absolutely not. Red is enough, and even then it was only out of necessity." _Mostly. "_I don't know her cousin from Adam. At least I trust Red."

"And the danger you have placed her in means nothing to you?"

Takehiro eyed the field marshal carefully. Hideyoshi was back to being in a bad mood, and while it was understandable, he couldn't be sure whether it was solely due to being woken in such an unconventional manner...or if it was something else. "I've told her her what I'm capable of."

"And that the punishment for withholding information on rare kinds is death? Did you tell her that?"

"_Yes, _Hideyoshi. I told her all that. Believe me, it's not like I _want_ to put the girl in danger. Neither do I want to endanger her cousin. See? I'm noble. You may praise me now."

Fujiwara shook his head, dark hair spilling past his shoulders. "I don't know how you've lived this long, Takehiro."

"Honestly? Neither do I, sir."

"...Just get out of my tent."

"Yes, sir."

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**Did anyone else wonder what Sakurako's obsession with power transferal via kiss was about? Man, I did. **

**Also, Code:Emperor Kyo is *so* named for Samurai Deeper Kyo. Homage!**

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**I****'ll be putting up a photobucket of pictures of the cast soon enough. This may only be useful in terms of the original characters, but for fun I tried to find pics of the canon characters as well. Look for a link on my profile within a week or so!**

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**Next chapter teaser: ****The Fujiwara's triumvirate is established, and two of them face a dragon. **

**As always, I hope you enjoyed :) **


	8. Heroes

**I do not own Code:Breaker.**

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**Chapter 8 - Heroes**

**In which a dragon is brought down and a dark seed is planted.**

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_**1898. **__2 weeks later_

Takehiro never knew what Karin told her cousin about him, but it smoothed over their introduction immeasurably. He had been prepared for all manner of awkwardness, yet upon their introduction Lord Shihoin had sized him up within a matter of minutes. What clinched it was the field marshal's claim that he moved faster than the wind.

_Oh really?_ Kouji had asked. _Show me. _

Their spar lasted nearly three hours, and had they been taking it seriously, both would have died four times over. Of course, Takehiro couldn't use his trump card as he could with Red, but Kouji was far more skilled in the art of combat than she. That being said, he couldn't remember the last time he truly feared for his life in the middle of a sparring match. It was wonderous.

There_ was_ the inevitable awkwardness when Kouji went through the same period of disconcertion that Red did, as he was better at sensing through the wind than she. Yet his claim that he was wearing one of his Shihoin Tokitou's specialty restriction items worked, backed up as it was by Red and Fujiwara. Besides, Takehiro didn't think the notion of an item that was based off the theory of the 'extinct' rare kinds was a bad idea to begin with. Either way, Kouji hadn't cared. He had been provided with an excellent sparring partner, and so he asked no more questions.

That was all it took to cement their triumvirate. Although Kouji's strength and lineage gave him immediate popularity throughout the camp, he chose to spend the majority of his time with his cousin and Takehiro, sparring, training, and baiting the greener recruits. Their group dynamic was different now, but that was only to be expected. Now he had Red to tease and Kouji to test himself against, and when all three were together they got along surprisingly well.

Best yet was that he could see them spar against each other, putting him in position to analyze their strengths and weaknesses without revealing his own. He had to admit that watching them fight excited him: Kouji was a weapon of destruction, whether in terms of martial ability, weaponry, or his power. Yet he was not simply raw strength - he was a skilled tactician, adeptly exploiting his enemy's weakness, and concealing his own. Red was good, and reflected much of his teachings, but she simply did not have the firepower Kouji did. She fought with dual daggers rather than a single blade, and while at times her speed gave her a slight advantage, it was offset by Kouji's ruthlessness. Even in terms of special power he was superior, although he noticed that he usually used his power in defense or to boost his physical skills, whereas she tended to use the wind as a weapon. He wondered how much of that was specific to their hold on their power, and how much was out of fighting style, or physical necessity.

He also wondered how their fights would end had Red been free to use her other ability. She had mentioned them experimenting with it in the past, but hadn't said much more than that. He finally got his chance to ask after she was defeated in a public bout in front of Fujiwara and his elite corps.

After landing the finishing blow, Kouji helped his cousin to her feet. She wobbled, but stayed up. Across the ring, Takehiro could see the frown on Hideyoshi's face - whenever he watched Karin fight he always scowled, no matter the outcome. On one hand Takehiro could sympathize, as he knew how strongly Hideyoshi felt about protecting women and children, and how little he liked a woman at the front lines. On the other, a dragon had wrecked two villages in the last week and they needed all the firepower they could get. Personally, Takehiro couldn't care less - some of the most terrifying women he knew were women, and he suspected had the king known of them, he would send them to the front lines to chase their enemies back to hell.

The Shihoin cousins bowed to each other, and while Kouji walked off to greet Fujiwara and his men, Red made a beeline for him. He anticipated her question, and bit back a question of his own when she had to grip the ring's barrier with bloodless knuckles to remain upright. "You let him go after your left side, again. You've got to be more ruthless, Red. Otherwise he'll keep drumming you, without letting you use the wind to your advantage."

She pulled a face, but didn't argue. The stood together for a moment, watching the elite power team congratulate Kouji. Finally, he asked. "Have you ever beat him?"

She turned her head but didn't look directly at him. "Yes."

"Without using…?"

"...No."

He had expected as much. "And when you do...you know, how often do you win?"

She shrugged. "I don't exactly know, Shibuya. Maybe half the time? But we've never gone all out - we've only worked on a few ideas, turning them into techniques." She hesitated. "Using it...makes me go a little crazy. It's just too hard to control."

Takehiro watched her for a long moment, weighing his options. As he came to a decision, he suddenly had a better appreciation of how Fujiwara felt when watching her battle. It could be simple dislike in his grimace, but perhaps it was all to mask his worry and resignation… Takehiro had known from the beginning that as a non-person, he was ultimately a tool used to protect the kingdom. He had not realized that she was as well.

Yet _this_ would be to her benefit. Perhaps it might save her life. "Well, next time we have an evening off, I think we should go find some place a little more private. We can work off some of that _frustration_." He kept his face carefully solemn, but couldn't help the glint of mirth in his eye.

Karin, who was suitably used to her friend's teasing, simply sighed. "Not now, Shibuya. I have to reflect on the match. Are you sure you can't give me anything more specific? Like my footwork? Or my form?"

He frowned, reflecting back on the days when it was so easy to make Red blush. Now, the only thing that seemed to work was going small, or more appropriately, going naked. "Awww, Red, you're not thinking about the possibilities- what can we do when we're alone? At night? At a secluded location where no one is around to see us…?  
"Ugh, unless you're talking about sparring, I don't want to hear…" She looked over cautiously, reading his smirk in an new light. "Oh. _Oh. _I _see._ But...are you sure it's ok? Is it _safe_?"

He glanced over at Fujiwara, who was - as always - glaring. Probably at them, because he always assumed they were flirting. For a man whose honor was so deeply entrenched that it bordered on religious fervor, he sure was quick to assume the salacious worst. "It is as long as we're careful."

She glanced around nervously. "But what if I hurt you?"

"Please. Remember what I am? This is our best chance to _really_ spar. Besides, don't you want to know what it's like to hold nothing back? To see what you can really do? To _win?_"

That had done it. Her competitive nature had caused her to agree immediately, and since then they had found time to spar three times. The first of these furtive training sessions was spent breaking down Red's fears, and practicing the techniques she had learned with Kouji. It was challenging, but nothing he couldn't handle. The second was far more dangerous, and at the end they were bloody and thoughtful. _I want to try something_, she had told him. _Something that will work on everyone but you._ She hadn't explained, and he hadn't asked. It was obviously something he wouldn't be able to help with.

Yet a week ago the scouts had found deep grooves in the earth, as if a giant had dragged iron shoes over the turf. Coupled with uprooted trees and spoor the size of an end table, they had stumbled across the trail of an earth dragon. Since then there had been no more time for sparring, and last night they had finally tracked the dragon back to a cavern that lead to a series of underground tunnels, where the dragon ostensibly made its home. They had not explored the tunnels, as to do so meant death, even to the elite corps. So they waited for it to emerge, camping half a mile off and preparing the all-out assault.

While the elite corps would lead the assault, the rest of the army would hamper it on all sides. Fujiwara would direct the main troops from the rear, as his power over magnetism was almost worthless this deep in the forest. Takehiro and Karin's role was goad the monster into place, nipping at its heels and side as they lead it to Kouji and the elite corps. While it was a dangerous role to play, it was not nearly as dangerous as Kouji and the elite team's role. Takehiro would have been insulted at this slight to his capabilities, but he knew Fujiwara's reasoning - the further Takehiro stayed from the elite corps, his secret would be better preserved.

So he had accepted the role, without a murmur of protest. Red had as well, promising to meet him at Fujiwara's tent on the eve of battle. Yet dusk was falling, she was thirty minutes late, and nowhere to be found even after he started searching for her. He had even discreetly checked her tent, although he knew Fujiwara would have choice words about that. Rather than search the entire damn camp he made his way to the field marshal's tent, deciding that Hideyoshi would either know where she was, or her whereabouts were to become _his_ problem.

Yet Fujiwara wasn't there either, and Takehiro was beginning to sense a conspiracy. For _both_ of them to be missing one the eve of battle…? It was unheard of, especially since-

Muffled yet familiar voices coming from Kouji's tent caught his attention, and he snuck closer to listen in. "_How long now?"_

_ "10, 12 hours? It's hard to know for sure-"_

Takehiro held himself flush against the tent, taking care not to touch it. Through a small tear in the material he could see Kouji and Hideyoshi standing close, glancing over to something just out of his vision. Their faces were grim, and Takehiro could practically feel the field marshal's frustration. "And of all nights it has to be this one! This changes everything - Takehiro can't harry the creature alone. I'll need to assign another power user to take her place. She'll stay back with me."

"She could regain her powers as soon as 8 hours from now. Should she join the battle then?"

Hideyoshi hesitated, and glanced over at what Takehiro was willing to bet was Red, in her lost form. He was suddenly filled with insatiable curiosity. What was it? She had never told him, and the possibilities intrigued him. It seemed nothing too out of the ordinary, as both men were taking it in stride.

Takehiro's musings were cut off by Hideyoshi's response. "No. I'll keep her in reserve in case of emergencies. More importantly, who should I assign to fight with Takehiro…?"

"Why not send Kouji? It's the most obvious choice - he can more than make up for me." Red's voice was slightly muffled, although it was more likely due to distance, rather than any lost form specifics. "He'll fight well with Shibuya. Frankly, if it's them, we might not need the rest of the army at all."

Shibuya couldn't help but smile at her faith. Sometimes, she acted every inch of 18. Although he wasn't much older, it was nice to know someone believed in them and wasn't afraid to voice it.

"While I appreciate the thought, I need Kouji-"

"Enhh, why not? I think it sounds like fun."

Takehiro had never seen such a bewildered Hideyoshi. Neither had he expected the look of unholy delight Kouji wore. "I must admit, Field Marshal, that I'd like to see how the two of us do against the dragon. What harm is there in us taking it out ourselves?"

The man had to be crazy. Certifiably insane, to face such a daunting challenge and be so enthusiastic. Then again, maybe the madness was catching. Just the thought of facing the dragon and holding nothing back caused Takehiro's body to thrum with excitement.

"And the possibility of dying means nothing to you?"

"We'll pull back if things get rough. But what is the army going to do that we can't? We're the best you have, Fujiwara. Why not leave it to us?"

"They'll win, Field Marshal. It will take more than a dragon to take _them_ down!"

Takehiro watched Hideyoshi's shoulders rise, and his hand rise to his temple. Yet by this point the rare kind knew he was convinced. Gainsaying Kouji was incredibly difficult, and not just because of his family's power. The man was dangerous and confident, and when he looked at you in that certain way, you found yourself agreeing to whatever he proposed. Such was the case now. "Gods help us. Fine. Do _not_ make me regret this."

Kouji's smile widened but he bowed in thanks.

"I will alert the elite corps. You should probably find Shibuya, as your cousin was supposed to meet him nearly an hour ago. Check my tent, he's probably there…sulking or somesuch."

"Yes sir." He glanced over at his cousin. "_Behave, _Karin. Don't go poking around in my things."

"Hah. It's not like you have anything interesting, anyway…"

Kouji strode out of the tent and Takehiro ducked, acting on an undeveloped hunch. There would be time to chase after Kouji in a minute, but now that darkness had fallen, he could possibly get a better look into the tent and discover Red's lost form… He shifted to the left and peeked through another tear in the tent, wondering at the shoddy material as he did so. Now he could see both Hideyoshi and the right half of Red, who was sitting on a chair and looked absolutely no different at all.

Takehiro sighed. He'd been hoping for something embarrassing.

"Thank you, Field Marshal."

Now that there was no one else in the room, Hideyoshi directed his full attention to the girl. "I- what for?"

Takehiro saw Red's smile, half cut off by the tent and the dim lighting in the tent. "For listening to my idea. And...well. For other things too: like taking me in and letting me fight, even when it's clear you don't want me to. Or for always treating me with respect even though you don't want me here in the first place. And even for making me scout with Shibuya, even though he teases me all the time…"

_How rude. I do not tease her _all_ the time. 60%, tops. _

"And I suppose it's cowardly of me to do this when I can't see your expression, but thanks to you, my time here has been...better than I could have dreamed. You've given me a new purpose, Field Marshal. So...I am yours to command as long as I draw breath." She stood, stepping out of the shadow that had obscured her face, and he understood her comment about not seeing Hideyoshi's expression. Her eyes were open but were obscured by a milky white film - in her lost form, she was not only powerless, but blind.

She bowed slowly, holding the position as if to infuse it with a sense of her gratitude. Yet Takehiro's attention was caught by Hideyoshi's left hand, which had clenched into a fist. The field marshal had turned his face away from him so he couldn't see his expression but he was surprisingly hesitant when he responded. "There is...no need for thanks, Shihoin. I am only doing my duty."

"I am still grateful." She rose and reached for the chair, moving jerkily. "But I'm taking up your time. I'll be here if anything changes."

It took both men a moment to realize she had dismissed him. The field marshal apparently did not take the hint. "Would you not be more comfortable in your own tent?"

"And let Shibuya find me? Hardly. He's probably angry by now because I didn't tell him I lost my power. _Probably dumped water all over everything_," she muttered in an aside. "_Hope Kouji beats him tomorrow…"_

That prompted him to move. He had spent too much time here, and Kouji doubling back and discovering him eavesdropping was the last thing he needed. So, thinking of devious ways to punish Red, Takehiro backed away from the tent and then took off towards Fujiwara's headquarters. It was a better way to keep his mind occupied then wondering about the uncomfortable yet charged interaction between the only two power users he could honestly call friends.

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…

Although the army had been lying in wait for more than 24 hours, when the dragon finally came it took them all by surprise. Dawn was a few hours off and Takehiro had just woken to take his shift when the ground beneath him rumbled, the leaves on the trees quivering. He froze, considering the chances that the disruption was anything other than the dragon.

An earthquake right at this moment was unlikely. He shook Kouji awake, ignoring the man's scowl. There was no need to explain, however, as the ground shook immediately. Kouji sat up, dark eyes scanning the forest. "How long-"

"Just now. This one was more severe."

They spread out so they would not provide a single target. Both waited, muscles tense and senses on alert. Yet the forest was silent around them, and there was no signal flare from the main body of the army or from the elite corps. They held their position for more than ten minutes, waiting for another tremor or sign of the dragon. Takehiro relaxed by degrees, eventually daring to whisper, "_Do you think they've-"_

His question was lost when the ground beneath them exploded, and the forest erupted into a cacophony of displaced animals, uprooted trees, and the dragon's roar. Takehiro was thrown off his feet, flying backwards into a tree twenty yards away. As he hurtled through the air there was enough time to piece together the dragon's cry and dark shadow at its feet. _It travels underground_, he thought, before reaching out to grab a branch that whipped by. Yet it snapped, and there was nothing else to keep him from slamming into a tree trunk and blacking out.

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He had been an utter fool, Kouji decided, as he ducked behind a tree moments before the dragon's tail landed at precisely the spot he had been. He had focused only on the wind in the trees, and not on the ground. That was why he had been taken unawares, and it was due to this that Shibuya had no warning before being thrown out of the blast zone. Judging by Shibuya's silence, he would have to assume he was unconscious...or worse. Karin would be disappointed; yet this was not the time to care. Now, it was all up to him.

Kouji propelled himself from tree to tree, avoiding the claws and spiked tail of what would undoubtedly be the most difficult opponent he had yet faced. From quick glances he estimated the dragon to be 20 feet long and 12 feet high, covered in overlapping ridges of skin that had been hardened to the point of armor. Later, he would describe it as a dinosaur, save for the oblong shape of the jaw and the ability to burrow through the earth like a mole. For now, he had his hands full merely dodging the creature, let alone forming an accurate mental image.

The creature screamed, cutting through the silence of the early morning. The sound bloomed inside of him, sparking awake every nerve in his body. Unconsciously, his lips curved into a wild grin. _This_ was what he wanted, what he had been born for! Who needed anything other than air to breathe when there was such a creature to battle? He flicked his wrist and called upon the wind to harden at the beast's neck, hoping to startle it long enough to get a few hits in. When the dragon reared back, Kouji unsheathed his katana and propelled himself upward, seemingly riding the current of the air in order to slash at the creature's unprotected eyes.

His aim was good, yet the dragon turned away at the last moment so that his blade landed on the snout, instead. There was barely enough time to create a small aerial wall at his side so that the jagged teeth bearing down on him did not rend him in half - the damage was still serious, and Kouji jumping to the trees in an effort to regroup. He pressed his hand against the wound, mind racing as the dragon flailed in search of him. The dragon's bite was perilous - the vacuum that could stop bullets and blades had been shattered underneath the force and keeness of its teeth. It was luck that none of the wounds were deep, although he would have an impressive array of scars after this.

Without Shibuya, his options were limited. The creature was too heavy for the winds to buffett, and the hardening could only be done in small areas. He didn't trust his blade to cut through the creature's scales, yet without a clear shot at the eyes, how else could he incapacitate the creature? Whatever he did he had to do it quickly, though. The dragon was quickly recovering from the damage Kouji had dealt and was heading in the direction Shibuya had been thrown.

He sheathed his blade and leaped after the dragon, landing unsteadily on its back. Gripping onto an upraised patch of skin, he withdrew his dagger and attempted to force it down into the dragon's flesh. As he suspected the skin was too thick, and the blade skidded to the left, barely piercing through. The dragon had felt it, however, and Kouji had to dive forward to avoid being bludgeoned by its tail.

Although he was now on the dragon's stubby neck the flesh was no more forgiving, and when he tried once again to stab down again he was met with no success. Yet this time he was out of the tail's range, so the dragon shook itself violently and Kouji, not expecting such a maneuver, was thrown to the ground. He would have been trampled underfoot had he not kicked off a branch of a nearby tree, using the wind to direct himself beyond the creature's reach. As it was he had to roll to the side immediately upon landing, barely avoiding the dragon's deadly bite.

The adrenaline was still running its mad course through his veins, and in spite of the terrible odds and the danger he was in, Kouji had never felt so alive. He laughed exultantly, and had time for one last thought before throwing himself back into the fray: _let me die this death 1000 times to live all this again!_

Kouji dashed in front of the creature to attempt a variant on an earlier attack. He threw his hands together in a parody of a clap and summoned the wind from the east and the west to converge at the center, the dragon's injured snout. It was somewhat successful - the monster was confused, twisting its head to and fro, snapping at its invisible enemy. To land a clear shot he would need to find a way to force its head still, even if just for a moment. Yet he already knew how - the question was whether he could hold an aerial wall around the dragon's head while sparing enough force to deliver the killing blow. Kouji grinned. There was only one way to find out.

Kouji clenched his hands into fists, and the winds that pressed against the dragon now solidified. Yet the creature was incredibly strong, and the force of holding the wall around the mouth was almost more than he could do. Sweat broke out on his brow as his both arms began to shake, yet the small patches of free air continued to harden at his command. The dragon did not go quietly, however. While it was unable to move its head, it swung wildly with its tail, hoping to hit its prey. Yet it would not land too close to its head for fear of injuring itself, and that was Kouji's salvation.

Still, the force of holding the aerial wall, coupled with the injury Kouji sustained earlier was too much. He choked as blood bubbled up from the back of his throat. His hands spasmed, and the smallest finger on his left hand popped out of its socket. It was in that moment that his strength gave out and aerial wall dissolved. The dragon reared back and roared, victorious. Temporarily immobilized at the expense of so much effort, Kouji watched as the dragon turned its gaze on him-

-only to see the silhouette that flew across the sun, shaped like a man with a katana upraised. He landed just as the dragon lowered its maw, simultaneously thrusting his blade through the dragon's eye. The dragon screamed a final time, and the volume and fury in it caused the forest to vibrate in sympathy. Shibuya vaulted backwards, landing in a crouch at Kouji's side. Apart from the blood that trickled down the side of his neck, he looked to be in better shape than Kouji. Yet there was a wild, unfocused glint in his eye, and he had trouble speaking. "C'mon, Kou- Gotta'...back. _Now."_

Above them the dragon keened and staggered. Kouji found the strength to move as the two men jumped backwards, barely avoiding the collision as the dragon fell to the ground. It twitched as it lay there and black blood flowed from the wound, collecting on the dirt in an obsidian pool. The dragon's other eye, wide, golden, and reflecting a disconcerting intelligence stared back at them. The two men waited tensely; at the edge of their nerves until the light in its eye went out. Finally with one final spasm the dragon collapsed, dead.

Kouji hunched over, breathing heavily and spitting out little mouthfuls of blood. The adrenaline slowly faded, but euphoria took its place. They had survived. Not only that, but they had faced the most dangerous beast alive and _won. _ He glanced over at his companion, and the joy lessened. Shibuya mirrored his pose, but it was not blood he was spitting up - he vomited and could barely keep his balance while doing so. Kouji had seen others suffering from concussions before, and recognized the signs.

He waited for the retching to stop before he extended his arm to his partner. "Let's go, Shibuya. We have to get back to camp."

The younger man did not reply, nor did he accept Kouji's help. He straightened, wobbling before throwing his arms wide for balance. "Lead...the way."

Kouji frowned as he caught hold of the man before he fell over. He outright scowled when Shibuya attempted to pull away. "God's teeth, Shibuya- what's wrong with you? You may be concussed but I'm here to help you!" Shibuya said nothing, and tried harder to pull away from Kouji's grip. It was the avoidance of his touch that finally made Kouji realize what his friend feared.

"If you're afraid of me discovering that you're a rare kind, you are too late, comrade. I've known _that_ for some time, now. So calm down and let's get back to camp- you need to see the doctor about your head."

Shibuya stared at him with wide, barely focused eyes. "You...you _knew?_ How...how did you know?"

Kouji dipped down so that he could pull Shibuya's arm over his shoulders, forcefully beginning their trek back to the camp. "It wasn't that difficult to figure out, friend. Especially when we spar as often as we do. But what clinched it was watching you and Karin practice her other ability. I figured you had to be something truly special for her to go half as hard as she did on you." Kouji chuckled. "Would that she'd go that hard on _me."_

Shibuya was having a hard time processing the information, although Kouji couldn't blame him. Rare kinds were the stuff of legends, yet something the king took very seriously. Adding this to his concussion, and it was no wonder his mind was boggled. "So she...she didn't tell? You saw us?"

"No, she didn't tell me. I simply followed the two of you, wearing the restrictor her father gave me before he died. And no, no one else saw. I made sure of that."

"And you won't tell?" Shibuya's speech was firmer now, and the glazed look in his eye was fading.

"Not if you keep Karin's secret."

Shibuya smirked. Although it was half-hearted, it was another sign that his mind was clearing. "Well, I can't betray my best sparring partner. Oh, almost forgot-" he leaned over and tugged at his belt, freeing his sheathed weapon with a little trouble. "Speaking of secrets; take this. We may have to switch for now. Just until the hubbub dies down."

Kouji looked down at the offered weapon. Looking at it made him remember his moment of weakness, and how Shibuya had ultimately been the one to slay the dragon. While he didn't begrudge his friend the kill, it was an unpleasant memory that bordered on failure. "I don't understand."

"Sure you do. You have to be the one holding the weapon that has the dragon's blood on it. Oh, and eyeball goop. Because, of course, _you_ were the one stuck it in there."

"Shibuya-"

"Yes, it was the great Shihoin Kouji who slew the dragon, saving the king's army and my pretty, unconscious hide. I wish I had been awake to see it. And, ladies- I hear he's single!"

Kouji was unsure whether Shibuya's return to flippancy was more a blessing or an annoyance. On one hand, it seemed as though the man hadn't suffered too much brain damage. On the other, it reminded him that the man acted as if he were brain damaged all the time. "I'm not taking credit for what you did. It's not just, and-"

Shibuya pursed his lips, frowning disapprovingly at Kouji. "You're not thinking this through. If _I_ had killed the dragon, I'd become a celebrity. Everyone would want to know how I did it, where I'm from, who I am…do you catch my drift? That's why you slew the dragon. Heroically. Handsomely. _Single-handedly." _He shrugged. "Such a difficult life you lead."

"I… I understand." And he did. He didn't like it, but Shibuya had saved his life, and such action deserved loyalty in return. If it would keep his secret, he would hold his peace.

The two men made their way to the camp in silence, helping each other over debris and fallen trees. It was only when the camp was in sight that Kouji spoke. "I owe you one."

Shibuya smirked, hearing the unspoken _thank you._ "More than one, I think. You're going to have to introduce me to some pretty girls sometime."

"Don't push your luck, Takehiro."

"Ahh, so we're at first name terms already? Well I suppose we _did_ just slay a dragon together…" The men bantered until they reached the camp, arguing over inconsequentialities and setting their stories straight for the inevitable interview with Fujiwara. And although neither of them said it, they both enjoyed the last moment of calm before they became heroes.

...

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In the Fujiwara estate on the other end of the Plains of High Heaven, a young man bowed low before the younger son of the great family. His incongruously colored hair was hidden by a military cap, and deference defined his stance. Although the official proclamation would come from the king, his benefactor had called him here today to congratulate him - for Heike Masaomi was to be rewarded for his service and skills, honed throughout his teenage years. It was the proudest moment of the young man's life, and he shared it with the man who had brought him up from nothing: an orphaned gutterboy to the second in command of the king's personal protection corps.

"I am proud of you, my boy." Fujiwara Souri spoke in slow, measured tones, beaming with a pride that bordered on paternal. The sight of it warmed Heike's heart.

"Thank you, sir. That was my aim."

"You have never failed me, Heike. And now you reap the rewards. Yet are you prepared to serve me even in the future? No matter how odd the request may seem?"

Heike was young, and flush with confidence and gratitude. How could he do anything other than trust the man who had given him everything? "Yes, sir. For you, I will do anything."

The man who would someday become Prime Minister of all Japan smiled. "Then do not fail me, Heike. That is my only request."

And gods forgive him, even if it cost him his last breath, Heike would not.

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**Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn and the Prime Minister finally enters the scene. ****Evil times will soon abound!**

**N****ext chapter teaser: In present time, the Code:Breakers undergo training of dreams and blood, and after six years apart Sakura has learned to misunderstand Ogami.**

**R&R!**


	9. Blood Dreams

**I do not own Code:Breaker**

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**Chapter 9: Blood Dreams**

**In which the Code:Breakers entertain dreams of their own, and misunderstandings abound.**

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** Yes, I'm recycling my previous lost dreams idea. Seeing as how I have no idea if I'll ever finish **_**that**_** fic, I figured I might as well stick it in here :)**

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**2018**

There was no story the next day. After hearing Shibuya's fragmented tale, scattered throughout with remembrances from Kouji; his wife, and his erstwhile student, it was decided that the Code:breakers had enough to think about and thus would begin their training. Their initial exercise was nothing like they had expected, however.

Toki, who had taken the first dream appearance of his father about as well as anyone had expected, rubbed his temples. "So...you're telling us to go to sleep."

Shibuya nodded, his saintly expression fooling no one. "Yep!"

"Because we'll train in our dreams."

The unnerving expression held. "Yep!"

"...After _three days_ of watching _your_ dreams?"

"Well if you don't want to gain exponential strength and endurance simply by taking a nap, I suppose I could take you on myself. In our nyanmaru suits, of course."

"Ohhhhhhh no, you shitty old cat. There is no fuckin' way I'm getting in one of those suits ever again-"

Ogami had been surprisingly willing to take on the unorthodox challenge. Although 'unorthodox' was perhaps the wrong word, as Ogami had been subjected to several other similar tests in the past, usually at the hands of Code:Emperor. Yet Sakura was sure he wouldn't have objected had that not been the case. If he was unconscious, he couldn't be forced into her presence, and he had only spent every moment between now and their last interview pointedly ignoring her.

The exercise was simple: while they slept they would encounter a temptation, and all they had to do was deny it and wake up. It was as easy as opening a door in their minds, Maka had claimed. She would lead them to it, and in essence push them through, yet once she shut the door after them she would be unable to open it. It all hinged on their ability to get out on their own power.

Karin had noticed the unspoken worry in Sakura's eyes, and she had reassured the girl. _Don't worry. The test itself isn't the true challenge - it will be laughably easy for all of them._ She held aloft a small vial, nearly identical to the rare kind serum. _What we're really doing is injecting them with some of my blood. It will give them some protection from Asura, when she wakes. Because I bound her, she can't kill me outright without also killing herself...so sensing some of my blood within them should make her cautious, at the least. It will all be fine, Sakura. Your friends will all be up in a few hours, and then their physical training may begin._

The test had to last for at least 30 minutes, so that Karin could ensure that her blood took, and circulated throughout the body. How she managed to keep her blood distinct even within the body of another was apparently one of the skills she had honed throughout the last century.

Sakura watched as one by one her friends drifted off to sleep, aided by an herbal concoction her father had prepared. They had set up sleeping bags in the basement training room, to ensure their safety and so they could be monitored. Karin claimed she would know when the blood had 'taken' and then Maka, who would hold the mental door shut, would lessen her hold on it, allowing the young ones to break free. Yuuki was the first to succumb to slumber, Toki the last, and after that all there was to do was to wait.

Karin sat with her arm around Maka, supporting the woman who sat slumped against her. The dream maker was pale, and sweat beaded at her temples. Sakura finally realized what a strain the last few days must have been on the woman - using her power continuously, without break for hours at a time. At least she would have some time to rest after the dream training, but she looked quite ill already…

She made to walk over to them, intending to ask Karin if there was anything she could do. Yet her father's conversation with Kouji caught her attention, and the mention of her mother stopped her in her tracks.

"They've been tracking the signs for weeks, yet found nothing definite. Sakurako says Zed is growing more unstable day by day - it's like they're children again. If they're separated for more than a few hours, he starts reverting to his lost form."

Kouji's fingers toyed with the scar that emphasized his eye. "Then it's as we suspected. Someone has to be controlling all this, otherwise the demons would be free to wreak havoc. As soon as Heike and Yukihina send word from the States, we can-" He cut off, noticing how Sakura had gravitated over to them, engrossed in the conversation. "Hello, little cousin."

"Hello. May I please join this conversation? It seems to concern my mother. Also you mentioned demons, and those concern me."

Shibuya took one look at his daughter's determination and knew she wouldn't be fobbed off so easily. Although they hadn't planned on saying anything until they were sure, he supposed telling her a little couldn't hurt. "It's nothing to worry about yet, Sakura. Sakurako and Zed are simply checking into the _possibility _of demons. Nothing is certain."

Sakura looked for guarded worry in her father's expression, but could find none. "Isn't that dangerous?"

Kouji snorted, suppressing his full-bodied laughter. "Dangerous? Please. This is the Amazon and her Hero we're talking about. I'd fear more for the demons!"

While Sakura did not catch Kouji's slip of the tongue, Shibuya did, and he shot him a look. Yet Sakura's next question cut off any further exchange. "And Heike and Yukihina? What exactly _are_ they doing in the United States? Are they looking for demons too?"

Kouji's smirk was irreverent and took up most of his face. "If by 'searching for demons' you mean playing 'hide the salami' then-"

"Kouji!"

"Well it's not like I'm _wrong_."

Both the innuendo and her father's consternation went right over Sakura's head. "Hmmm. I had no idea salami was so popular over in the States, nor that people hid it..."

Shibuya stumbled over himself in his attempt to salvage the situation. "Do- don't mind Kouji, he's just cranky because Prince won't look at him. Heike and Yukihina are simply investigating some of the Prime Minister's property. _Salami has nothing to do with this."_

Kouji glowered, the jab about Rui's avoidance hitting hard. "Salami's got nothing to do with you, either, you old bastard. And Rui is not avoiding me. I'll prove it when she wakes up."

The two argued just as they did a century ago, and something about it made Sakura's heart unclench in her chest. Perhaps it was that even throughout all the painful events within the span of her own lifetime, and the further years of separation and secrets, they were still good friends. The thought that their regard for each other survived the war with Eden made her hopeful for her own future. If only Ogami could share a bit of her optimism…

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...

Yuuki was both the first to sleep and the first to wake, although Rui was close on his heels. Karin had finished secreting her blood in their veins barely five minutes before Yuuki broke through his mental door, wide awake and hungry. He took his time in waking, stretching and ruffling his hair, obviously unperturbed by whatever his test had been. When finished he made his way over to Sakura, settling his chin in the curve of her shoulder and ignoring the glares her father directed at him. "Good morning everyone." He yawned widely, not bothering to cover his mouth. "That was a strange dream. Am I stronger now?"

Rui, on the other hand, reacted quite differently. She had woken up only five minutes later, just as the Karin had finished Yuuki's checkup. Unlike Yuuki, there was no casual disinterest in her test, no stretching and yawning and blinking away the sleep from her eyes. Waking with a sudden, violent inhale, Rui took one panicked look over at the cluster of spectators, met Kouji's concerned glance and sprinted out of the room.

The stunned silence lasted until they heard the echo of the door slammed shut, wherein Shibuya shot a smug look over at his friend. "_Who_ isn't avoiding you?"

"Shut up, Takehiro."

"I'm just saying-"

"_Shut up, Takehiro."_

Karin stood, gently disengaging herself from Maka. "Oh for the love of- will you two give it a rest? Kouji, stay down here and watch the boys. Come get me when Ogami wakes. Takehiro, you come with me. I need to check Rui's blood and you're the only person with the keys to the mansion."

"Only Ogami? What if Toki wakes up?" Sakura's head tilted to the right, hoping the heat on her cheeks wasn't a blush. She had tacked on concern for Toki at the very end, but she feared her fixation on Ogami was obvious. Reflecting on it further, it probably had been for a very long time. _Damnit._

"Toki's test is a little different. Maka will know when he's done." She smiled, and tugging Shibuya after her like a recalcitrant child, made her way up the stairs.

That had been over an hour ago. Since then, her father had come down only to tell them they would have take out for dinner, as Rui was in no condition to cook. He didn't explain whether it was a physical or a psychological malady, although he did say everything was under control. His assurances did nothing for Kouji, however, who was forced to watch over the two remaining sleepers with a troubled, introspective gaze. Sakura stayed down with him, entertaining her own dark thoughts. Why hadn't Ogami woken yet? Out of all of them he had the most experience with this sort of test. And he had always surpassed it easily! What could possibly be holding him back now?

Her fears only deepened when Toki was the next to wake. He too had an unexpected reaction. He awoke suddenly, pushing himself into a crouch before realizing where he was. Once up, he cast his gaze around wildly. "Where is she?! I-" He cut off, seeing the amazement on their faces and Maka, sitting propped against the wall behind them.

Toki made his way over and bent low so that he was face to face with his aunt. For a long moment they merely watched each other, identically shaped eyes reflecting different colors. Finally, she nodded. Murmuring something too low for Sakura's ears to catch, he turned and walked up the stairs, not even sparing a glance for his slumbering best friend.

Kouji turned to the dream maker, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "What was _that_ about?" He glanced towards the stairs and there was a hint of displeasure in his gaze. "And what's he off to do?"

Maka shrugged, then straightened her legs so that they splayed out in front of her. "I had a story of my own to tell him. It was something to think about when hatred for his father fuels his blood, and he despises our name. It was also something that Karin didn't want told. He's probably gone to bother her about it. Stupid boy." She leaned her head back against the wall, shutting her eyes. "Wake me when the last one finishes. Such an annoyance; how long does he plan to take?"

That had been several hours ago. Her father had brought dinner down for the three watchers; finally taking pity on his friend and taking his place in the basement. The speed with which Kouji made his way up the stairs wasn't surprising, especially when Shibuya told him Rui had locked herself in her bedroom and that she was currently making a long distance call to Yukihina. After Kouji left he took his place beside his daughter, and in hushed tones talked to her of this and that; attempts at conversation that would turn her attention from the unconscious form of the man she loved.

A while later Karin came down, flushed and fidgeting. She shook Maka awake, inviting her to sleep comfortably in her own bed, assuring her that she would take it from there. At that, Maka left them, muttering about young men and their endurance. No one wanted to know exactly what she was referring to.

Sakura broke the silence as the three of them watched Ogami. "Is it...supposed to take this long?"

Karin shrugged. "Who knows? It's different for everyone. He'll wake up when he's ready."

Shibuya did not quite agree. "I wonder too, Sakura. He's already faced this sort of test from the Code:Emperor, after all." He turned to his old friend. "And you really don't know what they will see? Maka did say it was different for everyone…"

She hesitated, and it was enough to cement Sakura's suspicion that the older woman knew more than she let on. "But you suspect something?"

Karin winced and looked beseechingly at Shibuya. "Are you sure she's your daughter? You were never this blunt." She sighed when father and daughter fixed her with identical annoyed expressions. "Ok, ok! I see it now! Gods in heaven the whole Shibuya line will be the end of me!"

"_Karin-"_

"Yeah, yeah. Well, all I know is that Maka told me the key component to escaping the test was that you have to _want_ to escape. You have to choose to leave the temptation behind. It's that simple. So, whatever he's seeing in there...I guess it's keeping him there."

Sakura stiffened. The thought that Ogami had something he wanted so badly that it impeded with his training caused a tight ball of nerves to settle in her stomach. The thought that it couldn't possibly be _her_ made her body tremble with rage. After all, he had given her up again and again, when their love was at its nadir, without even breaking a sweat. Yet _now_ after six years apart he had something so important that he didn't want to let go of it? It was unfair. It was unjust. It was-

"_Unacceptable." _Sakura's harsh whisper drove her father from his own complicated remembrances and half-formed plans of consoling his daughter. He had assumed she would be suffering from the same mixture of sorrow and resignation that she had worn all this week, yet she was, as ever, an enigma to him. Currently, she was vibrating with rage, apparently having taken offence with Ogami's obvious - at least to him - refusal to let his love for her go.

_Women,_ he thought. _I will never understand them._

Sakura noticed none of her father's surprise, nor Karin's wary glances. Her universe had narrowed its focus until all that remained was Ogami and his weakness. She had never experienced such rage before, fueled as it was by her own pain and loneliness. Had he moved on? Had he found something...or _someone_ more worthy of him than herself? Had their encounter in the hallway been only a way of appeasing her? It couldn't be her he was thinking of; he had pushed her away in the real world often enough! Her thoughts whirled in a destructive circle, and she unconsciously clenched her fists and jaw. He could not be this weak. If he could turn her down, he had better be prepared to overcome everything else in the entirety of existence, because otherwise even his _feelings_ were weak, and _nothing _about him should be weak-

Dimly aware that she was making no sense even to herself, Sakura brought her palms sharply against her cheeks. The action made the adults jump, yet it didn't clear her mind. Instead, it gave her an idea. Sakura charged forward, so suddenly that her father didn't have a chance to stop her. She raced over to Ogami's prone form, hesitating just a moment to take in the sight of his sleeping face. Like this, he looked so peaceful, as if he were just any other young man…

Sakura scowled. They had been there and done that, and he had managed to overcome it. So why wasn't he denying it now? Mind made up, Sakura bent down, and then threw a leg over Ogami's waist so that she was effectively straddling him. Behind her she heard a noise like a balloon deflating, but she paid it no mind.

"_Takehiro, was that you?!"_

_ "My - my baby! She's going to commit indecent acts right in front of her father!"_

_ "Yes, a bold move. I see that she does indeed take after you."_

Sakura looked down at the man she loved, and a small part of her anger receded. They needed him alive to fight this dragon, after all. So, she martialed only half of her strength before she made her move.

_Smack!_ Her hand lit across his face, and it reddened where she struck. Behind her, Shibuya and Karin watched on with identical open-mouthed faces of astonishment. When Ogami didn't react, she began the verbal onslaught. "You stupid, conceited, selfish power user! You go on and on about your strength and whatnot but you can't even defeat this? What are you waiting for, Ogami? If you're the hero, _you_ have to be the one to wake and save us!"

"_Such a violent wake up call...I guess she _is_ Sakurako's daughter!"_

_ "Not now, Karin-"_

He lay still beneath her, and her rage spilled past her eyelids, manifesting in hot tears that slid down her cheeks. So now even her words were not enough? Had the past six years undone all her past importance? "But maybe I was wrong - maybe we all were wrong. Maybe you aren't supposed to be the hero this time. Maybe it's supposed to be Prince, or Yuuki, or Toki...if that's the case, then I shouldn't be down here bothering with you. I should be with them, supporting them - the one who are still _fighting." _She was crying harder now, and her anger was no longer distinguishable from her heartache. One tear slipped from the bridge of her nose to Ogami's cheekbone, sliding down to his ear.

His left eye twitched, but with her blurred vision she was unable to tell.

She brought her voice down to a whisper, leaning forward as if the urgency of her plea was too private for others to hear. "I _believe_ in you, Ogami. Even _now._ Please don't prove me wrong. I'm mad and sad and a lot of things right now but if you just wake up then I'll forgive you, ok?"

His head shifted slightly, but she wiped her tears at just that moment and so missed the movement.

"If...if you wake up now, I promise that I'll-"

His voice was soft and raspy and interrupted whatever she was about to promise. "...'kura?"

"Ogami?!" Sakura sputtered, blushing and nearly choking on her shocked inhale.

He smiled sleepily, still distracted by the dregs of his dream. "Good morning, swee-"

"_You!" _She would have slapped him again, but he caught her arm. His reflexes were still impeccable, even at the threshold of sleeping and waking. "What do you think you're _doing? _Do you know how much I worried about you? What was so...so damn wonderful that you...you…" She rallied, gripping onto her anger as tightly as she could to keep from surrendering to her melancholy. "Why didn't you wake up?!"

"Sakura." Shibuya finally interrupted his daughter by pulling her up and off his student. He took one look at her wet cheeks and pulled her into a hug, shooting Ogami a look that promised punishment by fire and dismemberment. "Good morning, Ogami. I would say it's in your best interests to wake up quickly, as I will be coming after you the moment Sakura stops crying-"

"Hold on, I still have to check him." Karin crouched down, spreading her fingers and closing her eyes. Without touching the skin, she ran her hand from his temples to his toes, fingers twitching occasionally. Once finished, she nodded. "He's good."

The haze in Ogami's eyes finally cleared. "That was a dream?" His noh mask expression settled over his face, hiding however the knowledge made him feel. "How long was I out?"

"About six hours. We've all been waiting for you, Ogami-san." Karin spoke lightly, but the tension in the room twisted her words into an accusation. His eyes clouded, yet she couldn't tell whether it was with shame or regret. She backpedaled, hoping to smooth things over. "Not that there's anything wrong with taking your time!"

Ogami raised himself to a seated position, very obviously not looking towards the rare kinds. "Six hours? I see. Has everyone else started training?"

Karin glanced nervously at Shibuya, whose face was etched in stone and anger. "Not exactly. Yuuki's been training with Kouji for the last few hours, but we had a bit of an issue with Rui's test, and she's taking the rest of the day to...recover. Toki only started about an hour ago, due to his impertanance."

Ogami didn't even raise an eyebrow. Sakura steadfastly refused to turn around. Shibuya glowered. Karin fervently wished to be anywhere else, effective immediately. "They're upstairs, if you'd like to join them…?"

"I'll take care of _that_, Karin. Take Sakura upstairs to check on Prince." Shibuya's tone brooked no refusals, and it finally roused Sakura from her tears.

"Father-"

He smiled down at her, so gently it made Karin's eyes widen. "Don't worry, darling. It's really just to train. Besides, I'm worried about Prince too, especially if she's calling Yukihina…" _The last time that happened I had to rebuild the eastern half of my mansion. Kouji better have her purring like a kitten up there. _ "Go on, everything will be fine."

After a moment of searching his eyes for honesty, she nodded. Without looking back at Ogami, she made her way to the stairs, closely followed by Karin, who attempted to lift the mood with quiet stories of her father in his younger years. "Did he ever tell you about his cat? The Almighty Scourge? That's what the neighbors named it, you know…"

Ogami scrambled to his feet as soon as the women were out of view. It had been a long time since he had feared Shibuya, but he had also never made Sakura cry right in front of him. He tensed, expecting swift distribution of justice…

...that never came. "To begin, I want 20 laps and 3 sets of the warm up rep - you know the one. Then, I think we should focus on swordplay. I know you haven't been keeping up with it as of late, but it's important to stick with the basics, of course. After that-"

Ogami blinked rapidly, incredulously. "You're going to ignore what just happened? Even after I upset Sakurakouji-san?"

Shibuya thrust his palm towards Ogami's belly, faster than his eye could see. It was only the years of intense training that allowed Ogami to deflect the attack. The two men stared at each other, one waiting for the next blow, the other the counter. After a long moment passed it became obvious that Shibuya was done and that Ogami was prepared to take a hit to atone.

"She wept because she hasn't accepted it yet. You have, and that's why you know all you can do is dream of her. I don't begrudge you that, Ogami. And she will learn not to, as well."

"And that's why she was upset? That doesn't seem right, Shibuya."

Shibuya shrugged, unwilling to exert himself wondering about women when there was training to be done. "When you understand everything that goes through a woman's mind, then you can tell me. Maybe she was jealous? Or maybe she misunderstood entirely? Who knows, Ogami. Right now is not the time to care, however." He reached back for the katana strapped to his back, and grinned wolfishly. "Change of plans - I'll attack you, and you have to survive until you locate my spare katana. Ready, and..._go."_

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**Yes yes Sakura's mind is a bit of a mystery to us all. Work hard, Ogami. Excessive levels of patience shall figure in your future!**

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**Next chapter teaser: In which feelings are denied, several dresses are featured, and the shadow unit is formed. **


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